Some 50% of crews working on offshore support vessels are willing to compromise safety rather than say ‘no’ to clients or senior management, while nearly 80% believe commercial pressures could influence the safety of their working practices.

The chilling findings, released to coincide with this week’s International Maritime Organization Maritime Safety Committee meeting, come from a new report on workboat and OSV safety commissioned by operations and maintenance management software specialist Helm Operations.

‘The Impact of Crew Engagement and Organizational Culture on Maritime Safety in the Workboats and OSV Sectors’ is the first maritime safety study specific to workboats and OSVs and will be finalized in time for World Maritime Day 2015, on September 26.

The independent report will summarize six months of research by Dr. Kate Pike and Emma Broadhurst of Southampton Solent University. It draws on original analysis of Port State Control detention records, feedback from 50 offshore companies, incident case studies, and input from leaders in best practice.

“This is a major contribution to knowledge in the industry, highlighting the link between the human element and safety performance in this distinct sector,” says Ron deBruyne, CEO and Founder of Helm Operations. “It tests often repeated regulatory assumptions, establishes the realities of workboat and OSV safety, and provides key recommendations aimed at improving maritime safety.”

Despite the inherently risky nature of their work, many workboats are not bound by SOLAS or the International Safety Management (ISM) Code. Both the Paris and the Tokyo Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) data show that 27% of workboat deficiencies relate to certificates and documentation, the report says.

“This report identifies shortcomings in current safety cultures, and makes recommendations on how the workboat and OSV sectors can enhance and audit safe working practices,” says deBruyne.

An online survey drawing on 50 key offshore companies saw 34% of respondents saying their company needed to offer additional operational and technical training. Worryingly, 50% found it difficult to say ‘no’ to a client or senior staff demanding actions that might compromise safety. Some 78% of respondents believed that commercial pressures could influence safety.

“We’re concerned that the research also confirms how under-reporting of near misses can undermine an entire safety culture,” says deBruyne. “This is partly due to the repercussions of reporting. Better safety management procedures, improved safety culture and crew wellbeing mean lower workboat and OSV deficiencies and detentions.”

To support this contention, the report identifies a set of eight safety criteria to help companies establish safety management systems that follow the principles set out in the ISM Code. It offers recommendations on communication; empowerment of employees; feedback systems; mutual trust; problem identification; promotion of safety; responsiveness; and safety awareness.

‘The Impact of Crew Engagement and Organizational Culture on Maritime Safety in the Workboats and OSV Sectors’ will be available on September 26, to coincide with World Maritime Day.'

BMT Asia Pacific (BMT), a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, has been appointed Owners Engineer and lead design consultant by Endeavour Energy for the development of the LNG storage and regasification facility, a part of the Ghana 1000 Gas to Power Project and Africa’s first LNG import terminal.

Excelerate FSRU vessel “Exquisite” Courtesy Excelerate Energy

Endeavour is co-leading development with General Electric, Eranove and local partners Sage Petroleum with the aim of providing the Ghanian government with Sub Saharan Africa’s largest power park, providing more than 1000MW to the national grid once completed. Excelerate Energy is providing assistance in siting the floating LNG terminal infrastructure, engineering and providing the dedicated floating LNG regasification vessel - FSRU (Floating Storage Regasification Unit) to supply gas to the power plant, an integrated gas to power solution that is expected to lower the costs of electricity and provide additional gas for other consumers.

Through its LNG industry experts and marine engineers, BMT will be working closely with Endeavour and Excelerate Energy in conducting FEED level studies which include operability assessments, infrastructure design and optimization studies for the supply of gas from the offshore moored FSRU via subsea infrastructure to the onshore gas turbines at Aboadze, Ghana.

In March 2015, Shell and the Ghana 1000 consortium entered into exclusive SPA negotiations regarding a long-term supply agreement for liquefied natural gas. With current LNG prices approximately 35% less than the current price of light crude oil, the import of LNG is expected to both reduce the cost of generation and to reduce the gas shortage the country currently faces to power its generation plants. The five-year project is expected to boost Ghana’s power generation capacity by 50% from the current 2000MW installed capacity.

Crowley Maritime Corp. has announced the acquisition of Maritime Management Services, Inc. (MMS), a Seattle-based company with more than a decade’s worth of experience in crew management for offshore oil and gas vessels primarily in the U.S. Gulf, Singapore and Gulf of Mexico. The addition of MMS to Crowley’s international ship management division – which provides all phases of commercial ship management along with full technical management and government contracting – further strengthens the company’s global reach in the ship management industry and now allows the company to service a wide variety of international and domestic customers with a pool of trained and experienced crewmembers ready for hire.

MMS offers crewmembers services such as visas, flag-state and immigration documentation; crewmember certifications, including Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STWC) and any client or operational area requirements; logistics, administrative and travel support; and much more. In addition to MMS’ Seattle headquarters, the organization also has a secondary location in Singapore.

“What sets MMS apart from others in the industry is their level of customer service and crewmember loyalty,” said Crowley’s Mike Golonka, vice president, ship management. “Together Crowley Accord and MMS can offer total crewing solutions, from single hires and full crew management through complete technical management to the oil and gas industry. Our offshore clients will greatly benefit from this relationship.”

MMS was founded in 2005 and was acquired by Crowley following the unexpected death of former owner Trevor Stabbert in 2013. The group, comprised of eight employees, celebrated its 10th anniversary of service last month.

In April 2014, the Crowley formed Crowley Accord Management Pvt. Ltd., an international ship management venture managed globally by the company’s ship management group. Doing so immediately increased the size and scope of Crowley’s technical ship management offerings and supported the company’s expansion into the international ship management market with a foreign crewing presence. The Accord acquisition also made Crowley a rare U.S. company – one that provides third-party international crewing and technical ship management.

Helix Well Ops’s, new intervention semi-submersible, the Q5000, set sail from Singapore on her journey of over 13,000 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. Stopping at Mauritius, Namibia and Curacao en route, she will arrive in United States’ waters in the summer of 2015.

Helix is in discussions with various parties for work for the vessel for the period from her arrival date until the commencement of a five year contract in April 2016. Based upon the Q4000 design, the Q5000 is a much larger second generation intervention semi with enhanced capability for subsea intervention, construction and life of field services.

MMT, specialists in high-resolution marine surveys, has successfully completed offshore integration trials of their new high-speed remotely operated vehicle with Sonardyne International’s SPRINT inertial navigation system.

The 2,000 meter rated vehicle, named Surveyor Interceptor, has been developed by MMT to improve the speed and efficiency of seabed mapping and pipeline inspections surveys. Its revolutionary design features a hydrodynamic hull and powerful drivetrain enabling the vehicle to travel at up to six knots, around 50% faster than conventional Work-class ROVs. The accuracy of SPRINT complements the vehicle’s state-of-the-art imaging and mapping sensors, resulting in improved survey data quality and substantially reduced ‘cost per kilometer’ of surveys.

MMT’s record-breaking Surveyor Interceptor ROV is equipped with Sonardyne’s SPRINT INS system to improve the accuracy of high speed pipeline inspections and surveys.

Travelling at high speed close to the seabed requires the vehicle’s automatic maneuvering and propulsion systems to be supplied with highly precise and uninterrupted position updates. To meet this requirement, MMT selected Sonardyne’s acoustically aided inertial navigation system, SPRINT. Designed for subsea vehicles, SPRINT makes optimal use of acoustic aiding data including USBL, LBL and Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) and other sensors such as pressure sensors to improve accuracy, precision, reliability and integrity in any water depth.

Inertial navigation is inherently self-contained and robust with very good short term accuracy but can drift over time. SPRINT is therefore aided with complementary acoustic positioning data to provide long term accuracy and robustness and greater vehicle control. On the Survey Interceptor, a Sonardyne Inverted Ultra-Short BaseLine (iUSBL) transceiver has been interfaced directly to the SPRINT resulting in a highly optimized navigation solution that delivered position updates up to 100 times a second.

Besides its stand-out levels of precision and fast update rates, MMT also chose SPRINT as it is the most cost-effective and low risk technology on the market. The system architecture inside SPRINT has been developed with flexibility and expandability in mind. This means the same vehicle-mounted hardware can be used as a premium survey vehicle grade gyrocompass or an acoustically aided INS depending on operational requirements. Users are able to upgrade and switch capability on demand using remotely activated in-field upgrades, meaning they only pay for the features they need.

Alan Macdonald, Sales Manager for Sonardyne commented, “We are obviously delighted with the outstanding results that MMT has achieved using SPRINT, both in testing and more recently, during its first commercial operation. At a time when the offshore industry is focused on ways to reduce costs without compromising on quality, the combination of MMT’s ground-breaking ROV and our SPRINT INS represents a unique offering to the construction survey marketplace.”

Jonas Andersson, R&D Manager at MMT said, “When testing the new MMT Survey Interceptor ROV, we were looking for an inertial navigation solution that would deliver real-time performance with high speed updates. By running Sonardyne’s SPRINT inertial navigation system we witnessed a marked difference in the accuracy of all ROV positioning activities during the period, which in turn made a marked difference to the quality of the survey data received.” He went on to say, “Now that Sonardyne has also released their new Syrinx DVL, we will be looking to run further tests in the future. This will be done with a view to achieving even more precise position accuracy using a tightly integrated Syrinx DVL, SPRINT and USBL acoustics.”

The explosion-proof version of Alfa Laval’s chemical-free ballast water treatment system, PureBallast 3.1 EX, has received approval from the U.S. Coast Guard for use on barges sailing in U.S. coastal waters. The approval comes a year after Alfa Laval PureBallast received an IECEx Certificate of Conformity from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for use in explosive atmospheres on board ships in international waters.

As a pioneer in the ballast water treatment arena, Alfa Laval introduced PureBallast, the first commercial chemical-free ballast water treatment system in 2006. Three years later, the company launched PureBallast 2.0 EX, which complied with ATEX directives, the European Union Directives for equipment use in potentially explosive atmospheres, such those on tankers carrying volatile cargo. Last year, PureBallast EX received an IECEx Certificate of Conformity from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for use in explosive atmospheres on board ships in international waters. Now this third-generation ballast water treatment system is approved for use on barge applications sailing in U.S. coastal waters, making it one of the first to be approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.

“We’re pleased that PureBallast EX meets the stringent criteria for approval by the U.S. Coast Guard,” says Alfa Laval’s Stephen Westerling Greer, Global Business Manager of PureBallast. “U.S. Coast Guard approval, together with IECEx certification, sends a strong signal to ship owners and operators that they can trust our ballast water treatment system to comply with strict national and international regulations while effectively cleaning ballast water.”

In addition to U.S. Coast Guard approval for use on barge applications, PureBallast EX comes with other noteworthy news regarding safety. To enhance safety onboard, Alfa Laval simplified the PureBallast design, enabling the lamp drive cabinets to be placed up to 150 meters away from the reactors they serve. This means the power supply can be safely located outside any potentially hazardous zone.

Westerling Greer says that there are other PureBallast innovations that enhance system performance, making it more attractive to ship owners and operators. These include 50% space savings, energy management and power ramp to optimize disinfection treatment whilst operating at full flow in low-clarity waters where UV transmittance is just 42%.

“We’ve also introduced a new PureBallast reactor for system sizes from 170 m3/h to 32 m3/h, our customers have access to leading edge technologies for a broader range of applications. Alfa Laval is now able to offer ship owners with vessels, large and small, the means with which to comply to international, national and regional regulations and local port requirements the world over.”

Eco-friendly HullWiper technology to fight fouling and enhance efficiency for oil & gas company fleet

GAC EnvironHull has signed a contract with the international energy company Statoil to provide underwater hull cleaning services for its vessels operating in Scandinavia, the Middle East and the Far East.

From the second quarter of 2015, GAC EnvironHull, part of global shipping, logistics and marine services provider GAC Group, is using its pioneering HullWiper technology to remove fouling from the Statoil fleet of long term chartered vessels to enhance efficiency and reduce fuel consumption, whilst also preserving and protecting the delicate maritime environment.

Signing of agreement between GAC EnvironHull and Statoil at Statoil’s headquarter:

HullWiper is a diver-free underwater hull Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) which uses high pressure water jets to remove marine fouling. It can clean up to 2,000 m² of hull per hour without causing any damage to anti-fouling surfaces. As no divers are involved, cleaning can be done alongside during loading or discharging operations, and any risk to life is significantly reduced. HullWiper cleans about five times faster than conventional cleaning methods, reducing the cleaning time by approximately half.

The entire process is in line with the GAC Group’s stringent Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) and compliance policies, as well as all local and regional environmental regulations. Residues and harmful marine growths captured during cleaning are disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner instead of being discharged into the sea as done using traditional methods.

GAC EnvironHull’s agreement with Statoil ASA comes after the Norwegian-based company used HullWiper to clean the hull of one of its chartered vessels at Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.

Simon Doran, Managing Director of GAC EnvironHull, says: “The energy industry focuses on minimising the impact of their operations on the environment and HullWiper meets their high green standards and eliminates the risk to human life.

“This contract represents an important milestone for GAC EnvironHull, as it further strengthens our steady position in a market with growing demands for cost efficient and eco-friendly technology.”

Launched in late 2013, GAC EnvironHull’s diver-free hull cleaning technology is now available in the Swedish port of Gothenburg, the ports of Jebel Ali, Sharjah and Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, the port of Sohar in Oman and most recently in Singapore.

Awarded Multi-Vessel Contracts - Containers to Caribbean Ports

Signet Maritime Corporation has completed Phase II of a $250M capital expansion program with the acquisition and integration of the Harvey Gulf OTV fleet. The corporate strategy was to design and own vessels for multi-disciplinary work, and diversify with the addition of the powerful offshore vessels. This has enabled Signet to broaden its services into new market segments and meet the global needs of our customers.

Continuing this US expansion, Signet has been awarded multi-vessel, long term charters by Trailer Bridge, Inc., an international freight service company, to perform weekly sailings from Jacksonville, Florida to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. The contracts were brokered through Compass Maritime Services, LLC, specialists in the sale, purchase, and charter of ships and offshore vessels.

The particulars of the towing vessels are as follows:

m/v SIGNET TROJAN, ABSXA1, Towing Service, XAMS, SOLAS Compliant, 75.70 MTBP

m/v SIGNET TITAN, ABSXA1, Towing Service, XAMS, SOLAS Compliant, 82.81 MTBP

m/v SIGNET LIGHTNING, ABS Loadline, Towing Service, 98.76 MTBP

Mr. Timothy M. McGriff has been appointed to the position of Marine Superintendent, Operations & Engineering in Jacksonville. This Signet office will provide 24-hour customer service with on-site management and control all aspects of the operation. The SIGNET TROJAN, SIGNET TITAN, and SIGNET LIGHTNING underwent a combined $2.3 million in upgrades for these projects. Signet Shipbuilding & Repair provided the labor, refurbishment and management oversight.

Mr. Joshua T. Ervasti, Manager, Ocean Towing Scheduling & Logistics, reported, “The expansion into Jacksonville exemplifies Signet’s commitment to going above and beyond in every aspect of our business. We are ensuring that we are there every step of the way to support our customer, our employees, our vendors and continually strive to exceed their expectations. I’m excited to see the partnership between the two companies expand throughout the years.”

Global operator in the subsea inspection, repair and maintenance sector (IRM), Harkand, has successfully completed its first campaign in the Caribbean for BG Trinidad & Tobago.

The 75-day ROV subsea support services project was concluded at the start of March by the team on board Harkand’s multi-purpose vessel the Go Electra in the waters off Trinidad and Tobago.

The workscope included carrying out ultrasonic technology scans, free span pipeline rectification work, subsea control module change outs, and the supply and installation of anode pods and clamps at various locations throughout the North Coast Marine Area (NCMA) and East Coast Marine Area (ECMA) of Trinidad and Tobago.

Harkand Europe managing director David Kerr said: “We enjoy a very good relationship with BG and we are pleased to have carried out this scope of work to meet their requirements in Trinidad and Tobago, especially at this challenging time of year which is out with the usual IRM weather season in the region.

“The success of this campaign was down to the collaboration on board the Go Electra with our personnel working closely with BG Trinidad & Tobago to ensure the work was delivered safely and effectively. It is a testament to this collaborative working relationship that only five days’ weather related downtime was experienced out of the 75 day campaign.

“Our initial mobilization was efficient with all personnel and equipment clearing customs without delay. We are also delighted to have utilized local content on this project which included ROV pilot technicians, stewards and riggers.”

Harkand provides offshore vessels, ROVs, diving, survey services, project management and engineering to the oil and gas and renewables industries. Headquartered in London with operations bases in Aberdeen, Houston, Mexico and Ghana, Harkand aims to be the leading subsea IRM and light construction contractor globally.

Crowley Maritime Corp.’s global ship management group has been awarded a new contract with Sunrise Operations LLC, a subsidiary of The Pasha Group, of San Rafael, Calif., for the operation, crewing and maintenance of four Jones Act ships operating between the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii. The news follows the recent announcement that Pasha Hawaii, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Pasha Group, a family-owned global logistics company, will assume operations for all of Horizon Lines’ Hawaii business, including these four U.S.-flagged container ships.

“As a long-time Jones Act carrier, Crowley is well-suited to manage these U.S.-flagged vessels,” said Crowley’s Mike Golonka, vice president, ship management. “We are confident that our ability to offer company-wide resources and flexibility to work within their operational model is what set us apart, in addition to our proven experience in managing steam vessels for other companies. We look forward to working with Pasha in the management of their new ships.”

Crowley’s ship management group provides all phases of commercial ship management, along with full technical management and government contracting. Crowley’s contract will encompass ship management for the Horizon Enterprise, Horizon Pacific, Horizon Reliance and Horizon Spirit. The company is providing a scaled, customized package of crewing and technical management services. Crowley provides similar services to other customers’ container ships around the world, including those in other Jones Act trades.

Pasha’s chief executive officer, George Pasha IV, noted, “Crowley Maritime shares the same strong values and vision of the Pasha Group. Both organizations have been family managed for decades, with third-generation leadership maintaining the spirit of their founders. Pasha team members exhibit a passion for quality service that is matched by Crowley’s high performance in ship management and exceptional maritime workforce. With Crowley as a trusted partner, Pasha Hawaii, its customers, and the people of Hawaii will derive substantial benefits.”

The Pasha Group, one of the nation’s leading Jones Act shipping and integrated logistics companies, has been serving the Mainland/Hawaii trade lane since 2005.

Two of Fugro’s vessels currently searching the southern Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, were recently involved in an historic find - the discovery of a previously uncharted shipwreck at a depth of around 3,900 meters.

The wreck is likely to be that of a 19th century merchant sailing ship and so great is the detail that what is believed to be scattered coal can be seen throughout the debris, which may indicate that it had an auxiliary steam-powered engine. The debris also appears to include an anchor and the stunning imagery will be provided to expert marine archaeologists for possible identification.

It’s a fascinating find,” said the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s (ATSB) Peter Foley, Director of the Operational Search for MH370, “but it’s not what we’re looking for. Obviously, we’re disappointed that it wasn’t the aircraft, but we were always realistic about the likelihood. And this event has really demonstrated that the systems, people and the equipment involved in the search are working well. It’s shown that if there’s a debris field in the search area, we’ll find it.” How the story unfolded
When the deep tow system operated by Fugro Equator detected a cluster of small sonar contacts in the southern part of the search area, 12 nautical miles to the east of the 7th arc, the sonar data was carefully analyzed. It was categorized as Class 2 – ‘of potential interest but unlikely to be related to MH370’.

“It could not, however be ruled out,” said Peter Foley. “There were characteristics of the contact that made it unlikely to be MH370, but there were also aspects that generated interest, multiple small bright reflections in a relatively small area of otherwise featureless seabed.”

All sonar data collected by Fugro goes through a detailed analysis and an exhaustive review process to ascertain its quality, coverage and most importantly any sonar contacts of interest. “The analysis starts with the mission crew on board the search vessels,” continued Peter. “The data is then reviewed again ashore by sonar analysts at Fugro’s office in Perth and then it is independently reviewed by the sonar experts in the ATSB’s Operational Search team. The process is methodical, meticulous and it is designed to ensure that nothing is missed. In this case we planned to resurvey the contact in more detail.”

The Fugro Supporter was tasked to further investigate the contact, performing a high resolution sonar scan using Fugro’s Echo Surveyor VII autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The high resolution data revealed a large number of sonar contacts lying very close to the seafloor, at a depth of around 3,900 meters. The majority of the contacts were comparatively small – around the size of a cricket ball – interspersed with a few larger items, the biggest being approximately 6 meters in its longest dimension. Although the debris field appeared to be of man-made origin it did not exhibit all the characteristics of a typical aircraft debris field.

An additional AUV low-altitude mission was then undertaken using the underwater camera to gather images of the field. Analysis of the images revealed that the debris was actually the wreck of a ship.

Fugro’s search director Paul Kennedy of Fugro Survey explained: “This find has given us a great deal of confidence. It shows we are able to find small pieces of metal on the seafloor, a long way down. Pieces from MH370 would be roughly 10 times as big as those of the wrecked ship.” Extended search
Senior Ministers from Malaysia, Australia and the People's Republic of China recently agreed to extend the search by an additional 60,000 square kilometers to bring the search area to 120,000 square kilometers and thereby cover the entire highest probability area identified by expert analysis. At an April meeting they received a detailed briefing on the thorough and rigorous work being undertaken to search for the aircraft, including details of the technology used in the underwater search, assessment and analysis of data collected and classification of sonar contacts.

Discussions also covered the challenges and risks in the search operations in such a remote and difficult location in extreme depths. The additional search area may take up to a year to complete given the adverse weather conditions in the approaching winter months. Regularly updated information, including illustrations, is available online.

On 20 April, Damen gave a sneak preview of their newly designed 2nd generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) during the annual OPVs & Corvettes Asia Pacific conference in Singapore. Damen’s Design & Proposal Manager Piet van Rooij explained how this new OPV has been configured for various missions.

This new generation of re-configurable Damen OPVs is highly efficient and incredibly versatile. Damen’s famous Sea Axe hull shape is used for these 2nd generation OPVs. Due to this hull design, these vessels demonstrate superior seakeeping including exceptional low heave accelerations. This makes the vessel very comfortable, even in stormy sea states. Since the hull is designed to reduce water resistance, the new OPV is also very fuel efficient and capable of speeds up to 25/26 knots.

Versatility has been reinvented by three newly developed multi-mission locations – namely the bridge, hangar and bay. The Multi-Mission Bay (MM Bay) can be equipped with dedicated mission modules (e.g. mission containers) for missions such as counter piracy, counter-drug operations, anti-mining warfare (AMW), search-and-rescue (SAR) etc. The MM Bay is also equipped with a nine metre RHIB (rigid-hulled inflatable boat), which can be launched over a dedicated slipway through the rear of the vessel while the OPV is sailing. In the Damen-built Holland Class Ocean Patrol vessels for the Royal Netherlands Navy this system has already proven to be safe in operations up to SS 5 conditions.

Unlike other OPVs, the command-and-control centre (C2 Centre) is located directly behind the bridge. Damen calls this development their Multi-Mission Bridge (MM Bridge). Both spaces can be separated by means of a blinded sliding wall. OPVs are less likely to take part in combat situations such as those faced by a frigate. During a mission, when lowering the sliding wall, situation awareness in the C2 Centre is improved, allowing C2 Centre officers to observe the situation immediately with their own eyes.

Mr Van Rooij comments: “Today OPVs don’t engage in combat situations as often as frigates do, however, fast and effective coordination during a ‘chase’ is essential for an OPV.”

The Multi-Mission Hangar (MM Hangar) is capable of storing an 11-tonne NH-90 helicopter and a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) such as the Boeing ScanEagle®. The MM Hangar has been designed so that the OPV crew can deploy either the helicopter or the UAV without having to move either one. Furthermore, there is space for a spare parts store and workshop for both the helicopter and UAV.

The Damen OPV 2nd generation is available as a standard in four series [sizes]:

• 75 meter – 1400 tons

• 85 meter – 1800 tons

• 95 meter – 2400 tons

• 103 meter – 2600 tons

Leading standby vessel operator Atlantic Offshore Rescue has unveiled the third new vessel in the past 12 months as part of its fleet modernisation program, representing an investment totaling £300 million.

Ocean Falcon, a brand new Class A Multi Role and Emergency Response and Rescue (MRV/ERRV) vessel was christened at a ceremony at Aberdeen harbor , before commencing a contract with a major UK operator. Atlantic Offshore Rescue will provide emergency recovery, rescue cover, tanker assistance and general field support for offshore operations at the Curlew Field, in the North Sea.

The ship can accommodate 21 employees, and has the amenities to rescue up to 300 people. As well as incorporating the very latest technology systems including a towing capacity of up to 65 tons, it measures 66.80 meters in length and 16 meters beam and features two MAN main engines with a power of 1935 kW each.

Ocean Falcon, the latest vessel to be launched, as part of Atlantic Offshore Rescue’s 300 million fleet modernization program.

Ocean Falcon is a new H820 design from Havyard Ship Design. It was built and developed in Passai, Spain by Zamakona shipbuilders, in close collaboration with Atlantic Offshore Rescue over an 18 month period. Its sister ships, Ocean Tay and Ocean Osprey were launched in February and May 2014, respectively.

Matthew Gordon, managing director of Atlantic Offshore Rescue, said: “We are immensely proud to unveil Ocean Falcon, the third vessel to be launched as part of our extensive modernization strategy. The vessel incorporates cutting edge technology, and it is due to this and the expertise and professionalism of our team that we have secured a lucrative contract with an oil and gas operator.

“We are trailblazing the way for emergency support vessels in the North Sea and this program is part of our vision for strategic growth and commitment to offer the very best FSV and ERRVs to existing and potential clients, a vital assurance for offshore operations within the energy sector.”

The new vessel has secured 30 jobs and is one of 11 ERRVs managed by the company from its new 12,000 sq ft Aberdeen base at Waterloo Quay. The move, which took place earlier this year, totals an investment of £3.5 million over a ten year lease period.

Mr. Gordon continued: “Moving into our new premises was is a real milestone in our history, and already marks a very successful year for Atlantic Offshore Rescue. Having outgrown our previous office we now have the capacity to accommodate future growth in the coming months and years. Being so close to Aberdeen harbour, we are also in a position to increase operational efficiency and better serve clients.”

Atlantic Offshore Rescue is part of the Atlantic Offshore Group, which is based in Norway. Atlantic Offshore Rescue Ltd employs 350 people (approximately 330 seamen and 20 office-based staff) and provides multi-role offshore and emergency rescue and response vessels for many of the oil majors operating in the North Sea.

Inclusive of Atlantic Offshore Rescue’s 11 vessels, Atlantic Offshore Group currently operates a fleet of 22 ERRVs and Platform Supply Vessels (PSVs) and manages further PSVs on behalf of third parties.

The Group’s aim is to continue to expand its capabilities within both the Norwegian and British sector of the North Sea and to be able to provide cross-border solutions reflecting the needs of its clients.

Petroleum Geo-Services ASA ('PGS' or the 'Company') commenced operations of a MultiClient 2D seismic program offshore Mexico on 16 May. The two 2D vessels Atlantic Explorer and will acquire multiple projects recently approved by the Mexican government. The first program to be acquired is the Mexico Well Tie MC2D which will provide clients with an excellent grounding for understanding the hydrocarbon prospectivity in the area. Fast track products will be available in June 2015.

"PGS is proud to conduct its first commercial seismic acquisition project in Mexico after approval of the Mexican Energy Reform," says Gregg Parker, Regional President NSA MultiClient in PGS. "We have worked diligently to position the Company as a first mover in Mexico and we are now very pleased to say that we have been successful in our endeavor. PGS views Mexico as a viable investment market for many years to come for the full suite of all our solutions."

These surveys will be acquired using PGS proprietary GeoStreamer technology and are supported by industry pre-funding.

Gauthiers’ announces the acquisition of an equity share of Modex, a leading international manufacturer of DNV-certified offshore equipment. As part of the transaction, Gauthiers’ will merge its operations with Modex to create the world’s third-largest offshore container company, with an inventory of 17,000 units, a global presence and comprehensive service offerings from engineering and manufacturing to the sale and leasing of offshore containers and modules. Modex currently has operations in Norway, Brazil, UAE, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and the United Kingdom (Aberdeen) with further growth planned in the near future.

This new partnership provides substantial advantages to both parties. Gauthiers’ benefits from adding full in-house manufacturing design and production capacity as well as capital support for its continued growth, while Modex gains access to the North American oil and gas market via Gauthiers’ locations, expertise and relationships with operators, contractors and service companies in the Gulf of Mexico.

Gauthiers’ branding materials will be updated to include “A Modex Company” to reflect its expanded capacity and new global service offerings. Meanwhile, Gauthiers’ existing Louisiana locations (in Lafayette, Houma and Port Fourchon) will continue under the same management while offering an even broader range of customized units along with a larger available inventory.

“It will be business as usual – only better – with the merged company. Our customers will still receive the same outstanding service they always have, only now they will gain access to additional units, more facilities, new models and direct factory support,” said Gauthiers’ President Robert Gauthier. “What’s more, we can now serve customers anywhere in the world.”

Modex is the leading integrated Cargo Carrying Unit (CCU) manufacturer and rental provider in the world. Unlike other CCU providers that subcontract their production, Modex owns and operates the most advanced CCU and cabin manufacturing facility in the world, capable of producing 5,400 CCUs and 120 cabin units per year.

“Gauthiers’ is an ideal partner for us because of their experience, facilities and long-standing customer relationships throughout the Gulf region. And just as importantly, they are industry leaders in the development and implementation of international safety standards,” said Modex CEO Eric Snellen.

Following an order announced in October 2013, MacGregor, part of Cargotec has delivered and commissioned 45 variable frequency drive (VFD) winches and a full control system for the recently completed heavy-lift crane barge Hyundai HLV-10000, one of the largest heavy lift vessels in the world.

Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Hyundai Heavy Industries, built the large floating crane to meet the increasing demands for heavyweight shipbuilding support activities, along with offshore lifting operations.

"This delivery extends MacGregor's heavy lift vessel portfolio," says Francis Wong, Head of Sales and Marketing at Offshore Deck Machinery at MacGregor. "It also confirms our ability to meet the developing needs of specialist vessels, supported by our good track record for all types and sizes of winches and cranes from merchant ships to offshore support vessels.

"We won this contract because we offer the most advanced winch and crane technology, underpinned by our worldwide service support organization."

MacGregor's electric winches consume 25 to 30 percent less energy than equivalent hydraulic winches. In lowering mode, they generate energy rather than consume it. Electric winches benefit from reduced installation and maintenance costs, reduced environmental impact and simplified diagnostics.