Ships have been sailing the seas for thousands of years, and with modern technological advances and innovation, the industry continues to improve and innovate. While in 1912 the Titanic hit an iceberg that it couldn’t detect, today, connected devices, modern radar, sonar, data and GPS equipment are able to show where obstacles lie and re-route any ship onto a safer path, whether it’s carrying holidaymakers, LNG or cargo.

Just as connected devices are making headway on land, with computer chips in cars, buildings and everyday items such as watches and fridges, connected ships are growing in popularity at sea thanks to their ability to streamline and improve marine operations.

Image courtesy: GE Power Conversion

While it could be said that more is being done to integrate and adopt digital technologies in the consumer space, we have to recognize the strides that the marine industry has taken—from introducing automation and control system to implementing real-time fleet tracking. It’s also vital to note that a consumer device, whether that be a car, fridge or watch, is a completely different beast from a 150,000 ton ship, so the two worlds can’t move at the same speed. However, the key benefits of connected components remain the same no matter what industry we are discussing. This is why forward-looking fleet operators are investigating using advanced software analytics to harness data and provide insights into enhance operations.

Here we outline the five key benefits of implementing digital operations aboard a vessel:

Route optimization and fuel efficiency

Gone are the days of looking to the sun, moon and stars to navigate ships across the deep sea; now navigation is not a leap of faith, it’s a science. Each modern vessel, whether an offshore drill ship, cruise liner or LNG carrier, is fitted with a digital navigation system, which can not only identify the quickest routes in advance, but can also spot obstacles and re-route ships on a safer, or calmer, path when necessary.

This is crucial for the safety of the crew and also for reducing fuel consumption. It’s no secret that both fuel saving and optimizing operations have been the main drivers of introducing digital technology into a fleet because in some cases, fuel costs account for up to 40 percent of total operational expenses. Use of technology has the ability to reduce this figure as predictive analytics tools can bring in weather forecast data to optimize route planning, manage propulsion levels and reduce overall fuel consumption.

Fleet management

Fleets are growing in size, and vessel operators may have hundreds of ships out at sea at any one time. Keeping track of all these ships at once may not be simple, but that knowledge provides an advantage to operators. By looking at an entire fleet, not just at each vessel in a silo, operators can automatically check operating performance against other ships, highlighting anomalies or inefficiencies aboard a specific vessel, which might indicate the need for upgrades, operational tweaks or repairs. Digital technologies are revolutionizing and simplifying this process, and it’s not just fleet operators that are responsible for spotting potential issues; the use of predictive analytics systems also allows GE experts from around the world to compare operational statistics and data against other fleets, providing a greater pool of data from which they can draw insights. This allows GE to use its wider global visibility to provide support at scale, spot trends, increase the reliability of a fleet and provide crucial information for decision support.

Improve design and testing from the outset

The use of data and predictive analytics is not just crucial when a ship is at sea, but also in its design phase. Combining decades of experience, software modellng tools can analyze a vessel’s anticipated operational profile, optimizing the design from the offset. It has the ability to test the performance of a ship’s systems against mathematical models and against different combinations of weather and other marine conditions to assess and refine vessel performance.

Used during the shipbuilding process, software analytics can also provide fast, real-time comparisons of the performance of different electrical configurations, enabling improved design and configuration of electrical solutions and estimating the annual running costs incurred by the vessel design, so equipment selections can be made to reduce fuel consumption and achieve further savings.

Reduce downtime

Unanticipated outages on board vessels can cost serious money. In fact, unplanned downtime for a drillship can end up costing up to $12 million per year. However, predictive analytics tools, such as GE’s SmartSignal software, can identify impending equipment failures before they happen, reducing unplanned downtime.

A digital model, called “the digital twin,” can be built based on years of a vessel’s data history. By comparing asset to asset and vessel to vessel with “the digital twin,” the software is able to search for anomalies and give early warnings of a potential failure, enabling the industry to shift from planned to condition-based maintenance.

Remote monitoring

The use of data allows companies to monitor vessels in real time, record and analyze their histories and search for anomalies. Software and connectivity can bring the issues encountered on board a vessel to the experts on shore, allowing issues to be resolved more quickly and helping to reduce third-party cost.

What’s more, the use of predictive analytics also helps address a global skill shortage. Few vessel operators have access to sufficient qualified engineers to be able to deploy experts in every system aboard every vessel. As such, being able to resolve issues from the shore can significantly enhance operations and reduce the number of engineers needed without sacrificing safety or operational performance.

There will be many large employers that risk losing 50 to 80 percent of their retirement-eligible population in the next five years. The use of analytic tools also allows knowledge and insights to be stored, capturing and retaining some of the experience that would otherwise be lost when personnel retire. It enables good practices to be repeated and scaled across the fleet—again, a key contributor to bridge the skill gap.

The marine industry is continually evolving to reflect a dynamic and ever-changing world. However, while there has been a tidal wave of innovation over the last decade, there is still a ways to go. This is why GE’s Marine Solutions is helping marine companies enhance efficiency, cut carbon emissions, increase productivity and enable smarter operations through use of digital technologies. Navigating through choppy waters is no easy task, and marine operators need expert support to help sail through the economic tempest we’ve seen over the last few years.

By Tim Schweikert

Cobham SATCOM’s well established line of SAILOR portable radios has been extended with the SAILOR 3965 UHF Fire Fighter; the world’s first marine approved portable radio made specifically for fulfilling the new SOLAS Chapter II-2, Regulation 10.10.4 – ‘Fire Fighters Communication’.

The SAILOR 3965 UHF Fire Fighter portable radio meets standards set out that require approx. 65,000 (existing) SOLAS vessels worldwide to provide intrinsically safe portable radios within the regulated ‘fire fighter outfits’ on board, prior to a vessel’s first survey after July 2018. Cobham SATCOM defines that in order to conform to requirements, fire fighter radios must be: Explosion-proof or intrinsically safe; ready for use at all times; capable of use by fire fighters (considering i.e. gloves, suits, poor visibility); made for the marine environment and carried in addition to existing on board portable work radios.

SOLAS Chapter II-2, Regulation 10 contains requirements for the fire fighter outfits (of which portable radios are considered a part), and how many outfits are required for a specific vessel. As a rule of thumb, any vessel covered by SOLAS must carry at least two fire fighter outfits, and for passenger ships the number of fire fighter outfits is increased and regulated both by i.e. the number of passengers and vertical fire zones.

The SAILOR 3965 UHF Fire Fighter portable radio helps owners meet the 2012 amendment 10.10.4.: For ships constructed on or after 1 July 2014, a minimum of two two-way portable radiotelephone apparatus for each fire party for fire-fighter´s communication shall be carried on board. Those two two-way radiotelephone apparatus shall be of an explosion-proof type or intrinsically safe. Ships constructed before 1 July 2014 shall comply with the requirements of this paragraph not later than the first survey after 1 July 2018.

As a leading authority on SOLAS regulations in a communications context, Cobham SATCOM’s design engineers have studied closely the new requirements in order to develop a radio solution that is not only a cost-effective response for shipowners to the logistical challenges of equipping their vessels in the coming years, but a highly reliable and effective communication tool that can be counted on by fire fighters in extreme, hazardous environments on board.

The SAILOR 3965 UHF Fire Fighter portable radio is based on Cobham SATCOM’s series of SAILOR portable work, GMDSS and ATEX radios but has been designed specifically to keep fire fighters safe through reliable, function rich communication. The most striking aspect of the new radio is its bright red colour, which signals to crew members on board that the radio should not be used for daily operations and must stay as part of the fire fighter outfit.

The radio features an easy to read display for channel and battery information, and is compatible with a wide range of established 3rd party accessories from SAVOX and Peltor. Considering the potential for low or zero visibility due to smoke during a fire, the SAILOR 3965 UHF Fire Fighter portable radio features large, tactile buttons, and audio confirmations of i.e. channel changes in the operator’s headset.

Uniquely, the SAILOR 3965 UHF Fire Fighter portable radio is the only maritime radio system to accommodate spare emergency battery packs. As standard, it features an ATEX 1.800 mAh rechargeable Li-Ion Battery, IP67 battery pack, however, Cobham SATCOM also offers ATEX approved non-rechargeable emergency batteries, providing an extra level of security to ensure communication is available when a fire breaks out, or rechargeable batteries run-down. 

Operationally, the SAILOR 3965 UHF Fire Fighter portable radio offers a long feature list that supports safe fire fighting process and ensures that it meets the standards set out in Regulation 10.10.4., such as: Tone Coded Squelch System (CTCSS) to avoid interference from other nearby vessels and Trunked Mode Operation (TMO) for vessels with a repeater system.

“We estimate that some 300,000 new radios will be required for the remaining SOLAS vessels to fully conform to the new regulations that effectively come into force in a little over two years’ time,” said Claus Hornbech, Business Manager – Maritime Integration, Cobham SATCOM. “Because of the timescale, we have developed several packages based on the SAILOR 3965 UHF Fire Fighter portable radio that make it easy for owners of different vessel types to meet the regs, with the confidence that crews will have immediate access to radios designed only for the job of fighting fires.”

Work is due to start shortly on the first of a new class of Damen utility vessel UV2410. This multi-role platform is the result of extensive consultation with customers active in the aquaculture industry in the UK and Norway. For these customers it was important that the rule length of the new vessel be no more than 24-meters and, for UK customers in particular, that it fits within the 200 Gross Tonage limit. Feedback indicated that within that length maximum possible protected deck space and good seakeeping were top priorities, along with ample accommodation.

Image credit: Damen

The Utility Vessel 2410 delivers all these requirements and more besides. “With the wide beam of 9.5 meters and minimal superstructure this vessel provides 120 m² of unobstructed deck space, yet still has comfortable accommodation for up to six crew. The design is optimized for a wide range of roles including maintenance support, oil recovery, diving support, buoy handling, safety stand-by, ROV support, surveying and much more” said Lodewijk van Os, Product Director Workboats.

“It is also ideal for aquaculture, with easy access to the waterline amidships via steps and a three-metre opening in the bulwark, and the capability of mounting dedicated equipment including up to two cranes. In fact, the deck is pretty much ready for anything; A-frames, winches, davits for rescue boats, task-specific containers and many other types of equipment can be quickly added and removed as the vessel receives new assignments.”

The Utility Vessel 2410 shares many of the renowned attributes of other vessels from Damen’s extensive workboat ranges. As well as for aquaculture companies, Damen envisages that the 2410 will be very attractive to port authorities, governmental organizations, marine contractors and anyone involved in varied, water-based maintenance operations.

Trust is earned, and after equipping over 20 purpose supply vessels (PSV)/multipurpose supply vessels (MPSV), GE (NYSE: GE) is proud to have been chosen as the trusted partner of choice for Hornbeck Offshore Services’ (HOS) next generation of U.S. flag, Jones Act-qualified MPSVs, constructed at Eastern Shipbuilding.

The scope of GE technology onboard these two vessels include the first MKII MV3000 Active Front End (AFE) drive. Manufactured in Kidsgrove U.K., these drives have one of the highest power density of any drive ever produced by GE’s Marine Solutions, providing performance comparable to a much larger solution while occupying far less space onboard.

Hornbeck MPSV

In addition to the drives, GE has also provided its latest generation dynamic positioning (DP) system. With the help of HOS’ input, the SeaStream* DP system has a completely redesigned and improved user control interface. The new interface puts the control of the ship back into the hands of the mariner with simpler, intuitive controls allowing critical information to be delivered in an easy to comprehend manner for the user, which results in more efficient DP operations.

Commenting on the project, Ken Munroe, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Eastern Shipbuilding Group said, “GE has already provided equipment on more than 20 vessels built by us, which is a testimony of our trust in their solutions. Throughout our long-term relationship, we have been very happy with their high-performance solutions.”

“These are our flagship U.S. MPSVs, and we are delighted to have some of the newest and most-advanced technology from GE equipping them,” said William Krewsky, director of projects and engineering at Hornbeck Offshore. “The solution provided by GE has been met with initial appreciation by our fleet operators during the sea trials and delivery of the lead vessel.”

Tim Schweikert, president & CEO, GE’s Marine Solutions said, “At GE, customers define our success. We are delighted to provide the best of our solutions to enable Eastern Shipbuilding to build the next flagship vessels for HOS. Our longstanding relationship with them is a result of providing years of cutting-edge and reliable solutions, which have met their high standards.”

GE will provide its solutions for two of HOS’ MPSVs, both of which were delivered by the yard in January and April of this year, respectively. GE will also provide training to enable operators to use the new technology efficiently.

• Indicates a trademark of the General Electric Company and/or its subsidiaries.

GAC EnvironHull has announced that its pioneering hull cleaning system, HullWiper, will be available for vessels berthing in the Port of Rotterdam next month.

HullWiper - which will be demonstrated at an event co-hosted by GAC EnvironHull and the Port of Rotterdam at the port on 23 June - is a diver-free remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that eliminates the need for divers to clean the vessel, cutting costs and reducing the risk to human life.

Unlike other cleaning solutions, HullWiper uses seawater under high pressure as a cleaning medium, instead of brushes or abrasives, minimising damage to the antifouling surface. This optimises performance and creates energy efficiency savings for ship owners, as well as reducing expenditure needed to recoat the hull.

Photo courtesy: GAC

Removed residues and harmful materials are collected in a special waste unit connected to the ROV, so waste is not discharged into the sea to ensure it meets local and regional environmental regulations – a key focus for the Port of Rotterdam.

Christer Sjödoff, GAC Group Vice President, Commercial, says: “As the gateway to the European market and a port that pioneers new thinking around the environment, Rotterdam is the perfect location for HullWiper. We believe that European ship owners will continue to see the commercial and environmental benefits of the technology, as already seen in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Spain.

“Our upcoming launch event and panel discussion, organised in conjunction with the Port of Rotterdam, further underlines GAC EnvironHull’s commitment to the service in the Netherlands, and sends the message that the GAC Group is pushing the boundaries of innovation and environmental compliance.”

The panel discussion, titled ‘Smart Ship Technologies and Measures for Greener Ports’, will include the first live demonstration of HullWiper in the Netherlands. The event will take place on Thursday, 23 June at Rotterdam’s Drijvend Paviljeon from 15:30-18:00.

Representatives from the Port of Rotterdam, shipping industry figures and environmentalists will gather to discuss the challenge of pollution in port waters, give an update on the regulatory landscape, and showcase solutions to reduce hull degradation and improve energy efficiency.

A demonstration of GAC Environhull’s latest free online fuel savings calculator will also be carried out at the event. This will enable participants to get an instantaneous and accurate calculation of how much they could save using Hullwiper, compared to traditional methods.

Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf (DSO) has become the latest Damen ship repair yard to receive ISO 9001:2008 certification. Strategically located in the port of Amsterdam, DSO undertakes the full range of maintenance, repair and conversion projects on all classes of vessel. The award of the ISO certification demonstrates that the yard fulfils the requirements of the defined management system standards to consistently provide a high quality service that meets all customer, statutory and regulatory requirements through a process of continuous improvement. This specifically refers to the repair, maintenance, inspection and drydocking of inland vessels, sea-going vessels and other steel constructions.

In 2015 the management of the yard commissioned an external auditor to review and document the yard’s processes over a number of months and make recommendations regarding any that needed to be brought up to standard. Improvements were made where necessary and, after a second, internal, audit to ensure that everything was in compliance, the ISO inspectors were invited to the yard.

“A proven quality management system according to ISO standards, with evidence by means of certification, is important for many of our customers,” said DSO’s commercial manager Jeen van der Werf. “Operators in the offshore sector and elsewhere value the confidence they get from knowing that independent inspections have validated the quality and operational standards of their industry partners.

“And we are not stopping there,” he continues. “Our next goal is certification for ISO 14001:2015, which will demonstrate our commitment to international environmental standards across all our activities. We see it as our duty to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations when it comes to quality and responsibility.”

Coenraad Tool, Quality Manager at Damen Shiprepair & Conversion added: “The success of Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf in achieving ISO certification is another milestone in our process of increasing customer satisfaction across the group through enhanced customer focus. This includes establishing a set of harmonised and documented procedures and routines that exceed the ISO standard requirements, as a basis for the update of yard Quality Management Systems. With the release of ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015, we are now reviewing and updating the current implemented Quality Management Systems ahead of September 2018.”

From small trawlers to large container ships, producing clean, fresh water while underway is an essential shipboard operation. Thousands of professional mariners have placed their trust in FCI Watermakers for their desalinization needs. The company's ultra-reliable Neptune and Poseidon lines offer simple and cost-effective use, and require little maintenance.

The innovative Neptune is one of the most adaptable commercial watermakers available. It's offered in both a framed and modular configuration for ease of installation—no need to torch a hole to fit it in—and has a small footprint. It'll make from 1,275 to 9,500 gallons per day (GPD) and is built to run non-stop, 24/7, with a low power draw.

With the ability to make up to 40,000 GPD, the high-output, state-of-the-art Poseidon is built with unrivaled quality. It's available in a compact frame and easily installed as a refit or in a new build. Like the Neptune, it's highly tolerant of changing water salinity and turbidity.

Both are simple to operate using FCI Watermakers' industry-leading V4 Controller. The 7" touchscreen panel is intuitive to set up a scheduled process or maintenance event. It has type approval certifications from ABS, GL, Lloyd's Register EMEA, Det Norske Veritas and the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.

Because the Neptune and Poseidon use only commercial grade, belt-driven pump and motor assemblies, maintenance is minimal. And when it's time to replace disposables, they're all low-cost, non-proprietary parts—an important consideration for vessels destined for foreign ports.

There is something about Italian products, from consumer goods to industrial objects, that carries a stylistic flair. This is well represented in the cruise ships of the Fincantieri Shipyard, such as the 2015-delivered Britannia. More recently this flair for design and quality construction is evident in the 2016-delivered fast supply vessel Blue Brother from Cantiere Navale Vittoria SPA of Adria, on the Canal Bianco which connects to the Po River in the province of Rovigo,Italy.

Tecnonavi SRL of Ancona, Italy designed the 51.75 by 9.2-meter vessel. The aluminum hull, with a depth of 2.2 meters, is painted a bright red with a white superstructure. The well-fendered bow and stern allows for personnel transfers both fore and aft. The forward mounted accommodation has seating for 71 passengers and accommodations for up to 14 crewmembers. A crane-launched rescue craft is located on the upper deck, aft of the wheelhouse.

The vessel is fitted with a Dynamic Positioning 2 system from Kongsberg that includes two bow thrusters as a part of the required redundancy. Main propulsion power for the vessel is four Cummins KTA50-M2 diesels, each rated for 1342 kW (1800 HP) each at 1900 RPM. The engines each turn a fixed propeller through ZF 5050 A gearboxes with 2.962:1 reduction. The four engines deliver a total of 5,372 kW (7200 HP) to give the Blue Brother a top speed of 28 knots.

Capacities include 120 cu. meters of fuel, 115 CM or water and 1.5 CM of lube oil. While remaining under the ownership of the shipyard group, the boat will join the fleet of Bambini SRL under charter.

InterMoor, an Acteon company, has successfully completed the final tensioning and chain cutting operations on the FPSO Turritella for the Shell Stones project, located in the Walker Ridge protraction area in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM).

The FPSO Turritella (photo) will connect to subsea infrastructure located beneath approximately 9500 ft (2896 m) of water, breaking the existing water depth record for an oil and gas production facility. This ultra-deep water project marks the first FPSO for Shell in the GoM, and the second FPSO in the GoM.

Having arrived in January 2016, the Turritella is a dis-connectable turret moored FPSO with nine mooring lines consisting of chain and polyester, arrayed in three bundles of three. The mooring lines were attached to a dis-connectable Buoyant Turret Mooring (BTM) buoy in field, awaiting the FPSO’s arrival. Each mooring leg has an in-line mooring connector (ILMC) tensioning system, located approximately 900 ft below the surface, which was pre-tensioned after connection to the BTM. Once the Turritella arrived, and the BTM was recovered by the FPSO. InterMoor’s work scope consisted of chain final tension adjustments through the ILMC system, subsequent cut and removal of excess chain, and riser pull-in rope stretching and transfer to the FPSO.

InterMoor used the Seacor Keith Cowan anchor-handling vessel (AHV) to perform the first phase of the operations and later moved to a larger construction vessel already on charter and on standby.

Tom Fulton, global president, InterMoor, said, “InterMoor supported this FPSO’s mooring needs by utilizing a cost-effective and Jones Act compliant anchor handling vessel, whereas competitors would typically resort to a large construction vessel.

“We were able to successfully provide full project management and engineering, including: design, procedures, procurement, dock support, offshore equipment and personnel for all phases. Our team also designed installation aids and fabricated them in our Morgan City facility, in Louisiana.”

Acteon sister companies worked alongside InterMoor on the project, with UTEC providing the positioning survey for the AHV, and Mirage custom-designing and fabricating the diamond wire cutting saw and clamping system.

InterMoor also provided the following services for the Turritella installation:

Under a program organized by the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA), Doris Inc., the Offshore Technology Research Center (OTRC) at Texas A&M University and Sevan Marine have carried out further research and model scale testing of Sevan Marine’s cylindrical hull for application in GOM ultra deep water. The model tests at OTRC confirm the favorable motion characteristics of the Sevan Marine design enabling the application of with Steel Catenary Risers (SCR) and permanent mooring in even the harshest hurricane conditions. Several major oil companies attended the Industry Day held on Wednesday, May 11, 2016 further highlighting the keen interest which exists in the market for Sevan Marine’s cylindrical design.

Photo credit: Sevan Marine

Further research and testing is planned in order to bring Sevan Marine’s patented SCR concept to its full potential. Sevan Marine is confident that this can be a game changing technology for deep water offshore applications particularly in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico’s outer continental shelf in years to come.

Sevan Marine would like to give its special thanks to Doris Inc., the OTRC and RPSEA for their great support.

Funding for the projects is provided through the “Ultra-Deepwater and Unconventional Natural Gas and Other Petroleum Resources Research and Development Program” authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This program—funded from lease bonuses and royalties paid by industry to produce oil and gas on federal lands—is designed to assess and mitigate risk enhancing the environmental sustainability of oil and gas exploration and production activities.

RPSEA is under contract with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory to administer three areas of research. RPSEA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit consortium with more than 180 members, including 24 of the nation's premier research universities, five national laboratories, other major research institutions, large and small energy producers and energy consumers. The mission of RPSEA, headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, is to provide a stewardship role in ensuring the focused research, development and deployment of safe and environmentally responsible technology that can effectively deliver hydrocarbons from domestic resources to the citizens of the United States.

Hili Company, the logistics division of Hili Ventures, has entered into a joint venture agreement with leading international energy logistics company Peterson, to provide oil and gas logistics services across the Mediterranean and North Africa.

Due to growing customer demand from the region, Peterson (Malta) Ltd will provide supply base services, warehousing and logistics management, procurement and recruitment, for oil and gas clients in the Mediterranean and North Africa. The company currently has more than 2,000 square meters of freetrade zone warehousing space in Malta, with access to a further 4,000 square meters of yard space for logistics supply base services.

Peterson offers a comprehensive range of safe, reliable and value added logistics solutions to the global energy industry from locations including the Netherlands, North America and the northeast of Scotland. Established in 1920, the organisation has expanded throughout the UK with facilities at several prominent ports, including an integrated asset base in Aberdeen.

The joint venture marries Peterson’s expertise in global oil and gas support with the wide-ranging capabilities of Hili Company, an internationally-focused group incorporating key capabilities in logistics, including global air, road and sea freight, ship agency and tramper services, clearances and deliveries, warehousing, courier solutions, ship-to-ship operations, and project cargo.

Its portfolio includes Mediterranean shipping and logistics firm Carmelo Caruana Company Ltd, logistics firms Baltic Freight Services, operating from Vilnius, and Prime Logistics based in Minsk, and a joint venture with leading shipping line CMA CGM.

Hili Company chief executive officer Davide Biron said: “We were attracted to Peterson because of its innovative approach to the oil and gas industry, with a strong focus on technology and collaboration. The joint venture will combine our broad range of capabilities with decades of oil and gas logistics experience from Peterson. Peterson is able to partner customers for a wide spectrum of operations and projects, including the decommissioning of oil rigs and repairs.”

Peterson director Jim McSporran said: “Our agreement with Hili Company provides us with additional strength to better serve our clients in this important region. As a result, we look forward to providing customers in the Mediterranean and North Africa with even greater cost-effective and innovative supply chain solutions.

“Our continuing investment in technology allows us to offer customers industry- leading solutions through our suite of digital applications which includes eCargo, the first system to digitise quayside operations, making them more transparent and efficient, including the handling of transport requests, container management and cost allocation for supply vessel pools.”

Ulstein introduces the LX109 design, a high capacity, highly efficient cable lay vessel with compact dimensions. The completely new, patent pending, ULSTEIN Cable Arch system in combination with open top vessel design results in an unprecedented total of 12,500 t of power cable that can be laid as one single piece.

Image credit: Ulstein

A unique feature is the ULSTEIN Cable Arch connecting the forward and aft turntables, allowing to load and lay one continuous cable of up to 12,500 ton. This capacity was made possible by positioning the turntables into the hull instead of their conventional location on deck, improving vessel’s stability. A feature also applied by Ulstein on a rock installation vessel currently under construction. This approach resulted in a slim vessel that can transport and lay cable much more efficient than conventional vessel designs with larger beams.

Locating the a-symmetrical bridge aft, with the cable passing underneath, provides clear and unobstructed views on the cable lay work deck and cable stingers aft and the turntables forward. Furthermore the vessel features a large hangar with ROV moonpool and workboat storage. In combination with the well-known X-BOW® and X-STERNTM hull features, this results in a very cost efficient, safe and comfortable platform with superior operational uptime and transit speed compared to more traditional cable lay units.

“With this design we like to bring the cable lay market to the next level,” says Edwin van Leeuwen, Product Management Leader at Ulstein Design & Solutions. “Using the ship and equipment knowledge available in the Ulstein Group, resulted in a revolutionary, truly integrated design, based on existing technologies. By focusing on a dedicated vessel for cable lay projects, we have been able to dramatically improve on project economy, seakeeping behavior and fuel economy.”

EMC has taken orders to supply VSAT equipment and services for seven platform supply vessels in the North Sea as part of a four-year fleet agreement with GulfMark (Norway).

The scope of supply for each vessel includes a 60-inch Ku-band stabilized antenna and below-deck terminal interfaced with the ship’s network and third-party GSM voice system. EMC will also provide the satellite airtime for crew welfare and mission-critical voice and data communications. The installations will take place over the next 12 months as the vessels become available.

“GulfMark’s vessels operate in an extremely demanding market segment with rigorous requirements for uptime, connectivity, bandwidth, data throughput and content,” said Gilles Gillesen, president of EMC’s commercial marine business unit. “Our global fully-meshed network of overlapping Ku-band satellite footprints with automatic beam switching ensures continuous uninterrupted connectivity. Our unique patented technologies provide mission-enhancing communications for the ships’ business and an unparalleled Quality of Experience (QoE) for their crews. In addition, our global service organization provides rapid-response support 24/7 wherever the ships are operating.”

“We have been providing VSAT for GulfMark Norway for a number of years on a ship-by-ship basis. This new fleet contract extends and expands that business relationship,” Gillesen added. “This important win is a testimony to our uncompromising commitment to delivering value and providing unmatched customer support and service.”

Olympic Shipping has entered into a frame agreement with Canyon Offshore, Inc. for the joint marketing and subsequent operation of the subsea construction vessel Olympic Athene and Canyon’s ROV systems, which will see the companies work together to secure utilization for the vessel and Canyon Offshore’s systems and services with third party clients.

Olympic Athene. Photo credit: Olympic Shipping

The framework agreement will operate initially for six months, with the potential to be evergreen thereafter. The Olympic Athene has commenced its first job with a third party client in the U.S. Gulf under this agreement.

Stig Remøy, CEO of Olympic Shipping, stated “I am happy to see that we, together with Canyon Offshore, are able to set up a structure that offers our clients high quality vessel and ROV services.”

Ian Edmonstone, President Canyon Offshore, said “we are also pleased to continue our long term relationship with Olympic Shipping and look forward to providing quality subsea project solutions to our Americas client base.

SeaRobotics Corporation (SeaRobotics) has announced the delivery of 5 production TankBUG remotely operated vehicle (ROV) systems to the Pittsburg Tank & Tower Group of Henderson, Kentucky. Pittsburg Tank & Tower Group (PT&T) is an industry leader in the field of tank fabrication, installation, cleaning and inspection, with service operations throughout North America and internationally. Applicable to steel, concrete or fiberglass, the TankBUG provides safe, cost-effective removal of sediments and debris from water storage facilities and reservoirs. The reliability and efficiency of the TankBUG allows maintenance inspection to occur on a predictable schedule.

Fabricated in SeaRobotics’ high-specification manufacturing facility, the TankBUG ROV system is built around a compact reliable vehicle base with a forward-mounted articulated suction and brushing assembly. The design has been optimized to handle the rigors of working on ground and elevated storage tanks. Regular cleaning and inspection of in-service tanks without the use of divers will reduce the cost of maintenance, improve tank life, and reduce the risk to human life. When equipped with plate thickness, coating thickness, and other sensors, the TankBUG inspection report will lead to proactive maintenance procedures.

“Use of TankBUG has allowed us to improve the efficiency of cleaning and inspection, improve the safety of operations, and reduce the disruption of our client’s processes,” stated Shawn Potoka, Manager of Field Operations of PT&T. “We have been pleased with the TankBUG’s performance after numerous cleanings, and it has been well received by our clients. Without TankBUG we were required to manually drain the tanks, then clean and inspect them. That could take up to 3 days. The equivalent process with a TankBUG can be done in one day,” stated Shawn.

“The acceptance of TankBUG in the marketplace is an example of the growing market for service robots. With TankBUG and our related HullBUG product line of ship hull grooming, cleaning and inspection vehicles, we look forward to servicing an expanding robotic vehicle market offering derivative products,” said Don Darling, President of SeaRobotics.

Intertek, has launched a new remotely operated vehicle (ROV) potable water tank inspection service that offers clients the option of using ROV’s to inspect their large-capacity water tanks. Potable water tank inspection must be carried out periodically to mitigate health risks to those working on offshore platforms or in other facilities that require their use. Vitally, inspections should detect any evidence of contamination, biofilm deposits, corrosion formation and the growth of Legionella.

Preparing ROV for water tank inspection. Photo credit: Intertek

Typically, potable water tanks are taken out of service to be emptied and inspected directly by personnel, a process which can be hazardous and time consuming, sometimes taking up to three days. Intertek’s new service allows clients to instead send in a mini ROV, which removes the need to drain and refill the tank, mitigates risks to personnel and can ensure that tanks are back in service after 12 hours. When evidence of corrosion or bacteria is detected, Intertek can make treatment recommendations, including operational advice, cleaning, patch recoating or complete tank refurbishment.

Julie Hart, Water Hygiene Technical Manager for Intertek Production and Integrity Assurance, said: “Regular water tank hygiene inspection is extremely important as the tanks can become a breeding ground for Legionella and other bacteria which cause water quality degradation. Our ROV’s deliver close visual inspection which allows for fast, accurate pricing of remedial work. This new equipment and methodology, along with our decades of experience in microbiology, really allows us to provide forerunning services to clients who take these procedures very seriously and prioritize the health and wellbeing of their personnel.

As well as tank inspection and potable water management services, Intertek Production and Integrity Assurance provides clients with a range of related solutions, including legionella management, water system disinfection, microbiological surveys, molecular analysis, media test kits and oilfield microbiology training.