Demands for increased collaboration in the oil and gas industry are being reflected through a record rise in vessel shares, according to Peterson, the international energy logistics provider.

The company, which is leading the way in collaborative vessel sharing, has seen a record number of vessel sharing arrangements since the turn of the year.

Seven shares were arranged between operators in the central and Northern North Sea throughout January and February. All were facilitated by Peterson through the Aberdeen Marine Logistics Alliance (AMLA), a vessel sharing initiative designed to maximise efficiency and reduce marine logistics costs.

Left to right: Kees Wouters, Marine Project Supervisor; Jekaterina Mjackova, Marine Business Analyst, Eric Witton, Marine Manager; Loek Sakkers, Director Projects

As the facilitator of AMLA, Peterson helps members source cost effective solutions for their unscheduled shipping requirements by arranging vessel shares with other companies operating in the North Sea, thus reducing both financial costs and environmental impact.

During 2014 and 2015, despite increasingly challenging market conditions, the combined financial benefit for companies participating in ALMA shares was £2 million, together with a reduction in CO₂ emissions of approximately 800 tonnes, the equivalent of removing 275 cars from the road for a year.

With 15 years of experience in combining sailings via an efficient pool of supply vessels and shared supply bases, Peterson has developed in-depth knowledge and expertise of vessel sharing which is supported by the continuous development of supporting software solutions.

Loek Sakkers, Director of projects, Peterson said: “As was recently highlighted by Oil & Gas UK and others, there is an urgent need for widespread collaboration in the North Sea. We share this view and believe significant opportunities exist within the supply chain to do just that through increased vessel sharing. We believe the recent unprecedented number of vessel shares indicates that the industry is not only listening to the calls for greater collaboration but responding positively.

“We have a long established record in providing vessel sharing initiatives, including the successful Southern North Sea pool, and are delighted to be transferring this expertise to the wider North Sea region.”

Commenting on the arrangement, James Crawford, managing director of Wood Group PSN in the UK and Africa, said: “Our commitment is to contributing to the industry’s long-term sustainability and we are focused on working in collaboration with partners across the sector to find new opportunities to work together.

“Working with AMLA/Peterson is a strong example of this, and we are confident of the mutual benefits created by this model of combined sailings, which we believe can become best practice for the industry in the long-term.”

As well as addressing operators’ reactive vessel requirements through AMLA, Peterson is working with a number of UKCS operators to establish a formal pool for scheduled cargo movements. The pool offers members significant efficiency gains together with maximum fleet flexibility. When an operator charters a vessel independently, it is usually hired on a per day basis regardless of requirements. In a pool, the operator can use a vessel one day and the next day the vessel can be used by another operator. When the fleet available comprises of multiple vessels, the flexibility and availability is increased. Peterson’s role is to focus on maximum fleet utilisation and optimising vessel use per individual operator to reduce overall idle time.

Vessel sharing is one of a range of services offered by Peterson’s Integrated Marine Services (PIMS). Based at new premises within Peterson’s existing quayside base at Waterloo Quay, Aberdeen, the team provides services including all types of marine and vessel audits, inspections and surveys, the provision of expert marine personnel, dynamic positioning and marine engineering.

Gibdock has confirmed its role as one of the offshore industry’s pre-eminent shiprepair and conversion yards through its selection for the afloat mobilization of Seajacks Scylla, the largest and most advanced windfarm installation jack-up ever built.

Following delivery to Seajacks by Samsung Heavy Industries at the end of 2015, Scylla was discharged to Gibraltar waters from the heavylift transporter Osprey before being towed into Gibdock for reactivation works at the yard’s South Mole.

“This is a remarkable acknowledgement of Gibdock’s emergence as a yard of choice for owners wishing to mobilize offshore assets,” said Richard Beards, Managing Director, Gibdock. “Our location at the gateway to the Mediterranean and our accreditation for offshore work are proving pivotal for owners in the high specification offshore industry. The arrival of this state-of-the-art jack-up also demonstrates that the sector’s true innovators recognize Gibdock as their first option for quality workmanship and on time completion.”

Gibdock was chosen for the mobilization of Seajacks Scylla, the largest windfarm jack-up ever built

Kevin Alcock, Seajacks Vice President New Build Projects, said: “We are very pleased with the assistance given by Gibdock in the successful reactivation of Seajacks Scylla following delivery to Europe. Gibdock has proved to be a very competent and flexible shipyard. We look forward to working with them again in the future.”

Seajacks Scylla completed reactivation in record time (five days) and departed for Great Yarmouth (UK) in preparation for starting her first contract with on the Veja Mate offshore windfarm in March, off the coast of Germany.

Scylla has been designed to meet demands set by North West European markets, including those associated with working UK Round 3, Scottish territorial waters. The self-propelled jack-up is equipped with a 1,540T leg-encircling crane, can install components in water depths of up to 65m, and can transport monopoles and turbines of up 7-8MW capacity. She is the fifth modern, specialized offshore vessel to join the fleet of UK-based Seajacks.

Rolls-Royce has signed a £8 million contract to supply the mooring system for the world’s largest semi-submersible crane vessel (SSCV), Sleipnir. The vessel will be built in Singapore by SembCorp Marine for the Dutch company Heerema Offshore Services.

Asbjørn Skaro, Rolls-Royce, Executive Vice President – Deck Machinery, said: “Mooring a giant crane is a challenge we are happy to tackle, and it’s a great pleasure working with SembCorp Marine on this unique project. The system to be delivered by Rolls-Royce builds on decades of experience with advanced deck machinery for both vessels and floating units.

Mooring systems from Rolls-Royce are designed to operate safely in the harshest climatic zones. For this vessel – the “Sleipnir” – Rolls-Royce will deliver a tailor made equipment package for specific operations, comprising a 12 point mooring system including electric driven winches, fairleads, wire sheaves and also a control system.

When completed the vessel will be 220 meters in length, have a width of 102 meters and a displacement of 273,700 tons at maximum operational draft. It will be equipped with two cranes of 10,000 tons lifting capacity each, providing the heavy lifting capacity to install and remove offshore facilities and install subsea structures, foundations, moorings, and floating structures in deep water. The Sleipnir will be self-propelled with a transit speed of 10 knots, and will operate on dual-fuel.

The vessel is scheduled to be delivered from the yard in the second half of 2018.

Wärtsilä has signed a contract with Shanghai Bestway Marine Engineering Design Co Ltd to design a new type of deep water dive support vessel. The ship is to be built for China state-owned Shanghai Salvage Bureau (SSB), one of the largest professional salvage companies in China. The contract with Wärtsilä was signed in January.

The Wärtsilä design features a unique combination of capabilities, including deep water (6000 meters) salvage operations, deep water pipe laying and construction work, and saturation (SAT) diving operations for 24 divers using two diving bells. SAT diving is a technique that allows divers to reduce the risk of decompression sickness when working at great depths for extended periods of time. All the design features are based on a single platform operating with DP3, the highest class of Dynamic Positioning. When built, this will be the world’s first SAT diving support vessel with Multi-Lay and ultra deep water construction capabilities.

Image courtesy: Wärtsilä

“For a complex vessel design such as this involving the needed sub-sea equipment, both extensive experience and broad know-how are absolutely essential. Wärtsilä was selected because of our strengths in both these areas. This contract highlights once again the value of the proven, sophisticated, and integrated system designs that Wärtsilä produces for the global marine market,” says Riku-Pekka Hägg, Vice President, Ship Design, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.

“The new vessel will certainly be the most sophisticated asset in our fleet. It will carry out operations in very deep waters and in often difficult conditions. We believe the Wärtsilä design will meet all our requirements for successful operations,” says Mr. Huang Yan, Director of Deep Diving Technology Development Center, SSB.

Wärtsilä has proven experience and an impressive track record in designing similar vessels of this type. The contract with SSB covers initial and basic design of the ship, meaning that class and flag authority related drawings for the purpose of finalizing the necessary approvals and certifications, will be supplied. Wärtsilä will also provide the basic references for future, more detailed engineering requirements for building the vessel.

Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS), a leading global provider of products and services to the shipping industry, is launching a lifejacket specially designed to safeguard workers in the harshest offshore environments. The Unitor Inflatable Lifejacket features class leading buoyancy, a Hammar automatic hydrostatic release system, and a design that is rugged, yet also light and comfortable to wear when performing demanding offshore tasks.

“There’s no shortage of lifejackets on the market, but few that are created to match the unique requirements of working offshore,” comments Philip Gatland, WSS Western Australia Manager.

“The Unitor Inflatable Lifejacket is very light, easy to put on and easy to wear, allowing both free movement and optimal protection. It features a patented interlocking lobe bladder that inflates automatically – although only when needed, not in rain, spray or humid conditions – and self-rights the user in under five seconds, even when unconscious.

“It is high visibility, heavy duty and compliant with ISO 12402-3 regulations, offering what we believe is the best protection on the market today. Full stop.”

The innovative design of the life jacket forms an effective wave barrier. This ensures that, regardless of whether the wearer is conscious or not, water is not channelled towards their face, protecting airflows. In addition, its 170N buoyancy rating compares favourably to the industry standard 150N, providing extra safety for larger operators or those carrying tools.

“Our global network and longstanding customer relationships have helped inform this new product, ensuring that we create something that is tailored specifically for the marketplace’s needs,” adds Gatland.

“Safety is always the first priority for offshore operators, so it’s our priority too. We are committed to providing solutions that are first class, available and cost effective, and The Unitor Inflatable Lifejacket is the epitome of that proposition.”

The lifejacket, which was unveiled to customers for the first time at the recent Australasian Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference (AOG) in Perth, is protected by a heavy duty nylon cover, offers manual inflation, features reflective tape and also comes with a whistle for attracting attention.

Unitor is a proprietary brand owned and supplied worldwide by WSS. Other leading Unitor products include marine chemicals, fire fighting and safety equipment, and an extensive range of high quality marine equipment.

Falck Safety Services and VIKING Saatsea have signed a preferred partnership agreement to offer unique blended learning STCW refresher training that combines onboard-online theoretical and practical exercises with practical onshore training. The unique training gives the maritime industry three benefits: Lower costs, better learning and global consistency in how mariners are trained.

The new offering, launched on 1 January 2016, forms an innovative answer to the maritime industry’s need to achieve full compliance with the STCW Convention and Code by January 1, 2017 in regards to training, certification and competency management.

While such time- and cost-efficiencies are welcomed in the industry, VIKING Saatsea’s CEO, Kim Baarsøe, explains that there is a broader perspective to the alliance:

“In the past, learning was squeezed into a rather short period of time,” he says. “Research tells us, however, that this is anything but optimal for learning retention, which is why our new, joint training package with Falck Safety Services covers a five-year certification period that combines on shore practical exercises with onboard training in the participant’s real environment.

This also means, for example, that the theory component can be repeated as often as needed without incurring further costs.”

VIKING Saatsea, with its unique digital platform, will offer onboard refresher theory training as part of the deal. The company’s solution enables crew to reduce their training time on shore, lets crew train at their own pace while at sea, and tracks competency status for easier administration. Company-specific training requirements and equipment can be added to the solution.

Falck Safety Services is the worldwide leader in safety training and brings practical, land-based STCW refresher training to the table, using its onshore facilities in 19 countries and at 38 training centers. In 2014 Falck Safety Services trained more than 370,000 people worldwide and thus brings deep expertise to the table.

Working together, the two companies initially plan to offer seven courses, ranging from Sea Survival to Advanced Fire Fighting. The new training concept has been approved by the Danish Maritime Authority.

By combining Falck’s safety training experience with VIKING Saatsea’s innovative technology we are creating a cost effective and high quality safety training solution for the industry”, says Torben Korsgaard, Senior Director of Global Business Development at Falck Safety Services. “VIKING and Falck have worked together for 30 years, so we know we can deliver high quality to the customers together”.

All American Marine, Inc. (AAM) was recently awarded a contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for the design and construction of a new hydrofoil supported aluminum catamaran survey vessel. The vessel will primarily perform survey missions and some dive operations in support of dredging work planned within the Corps’ Philadelphia District. USACE has designated that the new catamaran will replace the aging survey boat, Shuman, which currently fills the mission critical role. The 68’ x 26’ custom aluminum catamaran will be designed by Teknicraft Design, Ltd. of Auckland, New Zealand. This contract follows the successful delivery of the 62’ Florida II, foil assisted survey vessel that AAM was previously awarded to construct for the USACE Jacksonville District.

The aluminum hull will feature the Teknicraft Design signature hull shape with symmetrical bow, asymmetrical tunnel, and integrated wave piercer. A custom aluminum hydrofoil will be fit to span between the sponsons to generate lift of the semi displacement hulls and enhance performance. Teknicraft has been designing hydrofoil supported vessels for over 20 years and has become a leader in this market. Power for the propeller driven vessel will be provided by a pair of Caterpillar C18 diesel engines rated 1001 bhp @ 2300 rpm, with an EPA Tier III emissions rating. Auxiliary power will be supplied via twin Northern Lights C40M.3 40.kW generators. The suite of deck gear includes a hydraulic A-frame, davit, scientific winch, and moon pool with deployable sonar strut. Dive platforms will be fit to the transom of each sponson. The 28 knot cruise speed will allow the Corps to get to the survey site much quicker, which in turn will allow for more time on site and greater data collection in less time.

All American Marine Inc., located on the shores of Bellingham Bay, was founded in 1987 and specializes in the construction of custom tailored aluminum boats. Today, the company has become a leading builder of high speed passenger catamarans, survey craft, and research vessels. All American Marine is the exclusive builder for Teknicraft Design Ltd. catamarans in North America.

Harvey Gulf has once again shown its commitment to utilizing LNG as a marine fuel with the opening of the first marine LNG fueling terminal in North America. Less than a year after the delivery of the M/V HARVEY ENERGY, America’s first LNG-powered vessel, Harvey Gulf accomplished another first when it completed a successful LNG bunkering of the ENERGY from the newly constructed LNG terminal facility at its operation base in Port Fourchon, Louisiana. The bunkering included the transfer of 43,000 gallons of LNG in approximately 2.25 hours without incident.

The terminal is designed to meet the requirements of 33 CFR part 127 NFPA 59A, and able to deliver LNG at a pumping rate of 550 GMP. The total on site storage is approximately 270,000 gallons contained in three 90,000 USG type “C” vacuum insulated tanks.

Shane Guidry, Chairman and CEO of Harvey Gulf, commented: "This a testament to Harvey Gulf's commitment to promoting the use of LNG, a clean, abundant, and cost-effective alternative marine fuel. With the completion of our LNG terminal at Port Fourchon, we are able to provide a LNG bunkering point at the epicenter of marine operations for the Gulf of Mexico, which is vital to continuing the shift to LNG as a marine fuel.”

The M/V Harvey Energy and her sister ship the M/V Harvey Power, both LNG powered Offshore Supply Vessels, are under charter to Shell and support Shell’s Gulf of Mexico assets.

Since 2008, the National Marine Representatives Association (NMRA) has contributed to the future of the marine industry with scholarships to individuals pursuing education and a career in the maritime trades. This year, two $1,500 scholarships will be awarded to outstanding students.

High school seniors, and college and vocational students can request an application from NMRA at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Schools are encouraged to promote this to their students. Applications are due on July 1, 2016. Winners will be announced this summer.

"NMRA Scholarships hold a special place in the life of our organization," said Rob Gueterman, NMRA president. "We're always heartened to read the applications, and know that the future of the marine industry will be in such talented and capable hands."

Several NMRA rep groups generously donated to increase the 2016 scholarships. GSW & Associates and Midwest Outdoor Marketing reached the Captain level of giving, while Atlantic Marketing Company, Coatney Sales, Gulf Atlantic Marketing, Macaroni Marketing, The Merifield Company, Silverlake West Company, West Coast Sales and William F. Miller and Associates donated to the Ship's Crew level. NMMA president Thom Dammrich helped kick off the fundraising with a contribution at NMRA's annual Rep Night.

Contact National Marine Representatives Association, PO Box 360, Gurnee, IL 60031. 847-662-3167; Fax: 847-336-7126; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Fugro has been awarded an inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) contract by Petrobras in Brazil.

Under the contract Fugro will deploy its new 83-meter ROV support vessel, Fugro Aquarius, for the IRM activities. The contract duration is one year with an option for an additional year.

Fugro Aquarius has been designed specifically for operations in the challenging conditions offshore Brazil. Capable of operating in water depths of 3,000 metres, the vessel was built in Brazil and the local content exceeds 60%. Specialised equipment on board includes two 150HP Fugro FCV3000 work class ROV systems.

Commenting on the award, Mathilde Scholtes, Managing Director, Fugro Brasil, said, “This contract reinforces Fugro’s market leadership in the IRM segment in Brazil and underlines the success of Fugro’s long-term relationship with Petrobras.”

Operations will commence in April 2016.

The DRS4D-NXT is a Solid-State Radar with pulse compression and Doppler frequency shift sensing technology, built into a compact 24” Radome. This “NXT” (read “next”) generation Radar is designed for use with both NavNet TZtouch and TZtouch2 MFDs. The DRS4D-NXT is packed with new features, but perhaps the most innovative and revolutionary is called “Target Analyzer”, facilitated by Furuno’s Doppler technology. The Doppler “Target Analyzer” will automatically change the color of targets approaching your boat to clearly show any hazards. Green echoes are stationary targets, land, or approaching targets moving at a velocity of less than 3 knots. Echoes dynamically turn red when targets are approaching your vessel at a speed of 3 knots or faster. It works the same when you are following another vessel. If the target is getting closer at a speed of 3 knots or more, the echo will be depicted in red on the screen. Incredibly, “Target Analyzer” works independently of one’s own ship speed!

The DRS4D-NXT is the first radar in the world to use the new FURUNO exclusive Target Analyzer™ function.

Tracking and interpreting threats is now easier than ever with the DRS4D-NXT Radar. Using Furuno’s advanced Doppler technology, this new Radar acquires and tracks targets in virtually every sweep, or just a few seconds. Almost instantly, you will see the target’s speed and course vector. If the target is hazardous, it will also be displayed in red, making it easier to identify and predict its course. The NXT Radar’s incredible ARPA signal processor will display and track up to 100 targets in a single sweep! The entire target theatre can be viewed, monitored, and tracked simultaneously, at any range. For an even more detailed display, target trails and Furuno’s unique True Trail feature can be utilized, allowing you to graphically see the direction in which a target is moving, independent of your own vessel’s motion.

The resolution of this dome Radar is impressive on its own, with a 3.9-degree horizontal beam width, but Furuno took it a step further by incorporating their exclusive RezBoost^TM beam sharpening technology to increase performance. With RezBoost^TM set to maximum, the NXT Radome’s beamwidth is synthetically sharpened to the equivalent of 2 degrees, providing enhanced target separation that was previously only available on larger, open array Radar antennas.

An all-new “Bird Mode” is yet another standard feature of the DRS4D-NXT. With a single selection on the MFD, the Radar automatically adjusts settings for echo enhancement to help you locate birds. For those fishing fanatics, finding the birds is an important step to zeroing-in on the bite.

The ground-breaking ‘Onboard Training System’ (OTS), developed by recently acquired Kongsberg Maritime company SMSC, won the prestigious Dynamic Positioning Award at the Offshore Support Journal Conference, Awards & Exhibition in London last week. The sophisticated system, which allows users to control a real vessel under DP, but within a simulated environment, was recognized by the award judges as a completely unique and positive new approach to Dynamic Positioning Operator (DPO) training.

Image Courtesy: SMSC

With the OTS concept, the vessel is controlled in a normal manner by a deck officer on the bridge, either by the use of manual controls or by the use of Dynamic Positioning (DP). The vessel’s motion and position in the virtual world is calculated based on input from the vessel’s navigational aids (minimum GPS and Gyro) and shown on a dedicated screen. While the vessel is actually in safe, open waters, the virtual world can contain imaginary objects and installations (such as rigs, buoys, piers, etc.) shown on the screen. Using this setup, the DP operator can simulate approach to a platform or other installations, docking the ship at any port, navigating in narrow and constricted waters, and various other operations.

During training, the real DP system is live, so the vessel physically moves according to input, but the operator sees the results in the simulated visual scene. In this way, instructors can introduce any conditions or combination of targets, allowing them to create exercises that deliver real-life experience, with the flexibility to train on specific operations or areas of competence. The concept, which is already in use on several vessels, enables DPOs to understand how a vessel really responds to their commands, whilst interacting with virtual objects in a simulated environment, with the flexibility to introduce any tasks or conditions.

SMSC was nominated for the award by Simon Møkster Shipping, who co-developed this unique take on DP training and simulation to ensure high competence across its workforce. Nils A. Liaaen at Simon Møkster Shipping commented; “We place a great emphasis on safety onboard all of our ships, and we see the correlation between relevant training and improved skills of our personnel. We are particularly looking for three things; familiarisation with equipment and vessel, ‘flight time’ on DP, and practice on incidents like interruptions, system errors and so forth. We were keen to nominate SMSC for this award because the OTS meets these requirements with a very unique approach.”

Knut Jarle Lysklett, Project Manager OTS, SMSC added: “The OTS was up against strong competition on the shortlist so we are delighted to have been selected as the winner. The award reflects the depths of our collaboration with our existing clients; Simon Møkster Shipping, Solstad Shipping, Siem Offshore and GDF SUEZ, and the technical expertise of the SMSC team. As a new member of the Kongsberg Maritime family, we are looking forward to developing the OTS even further and contributing to the world-leading K-Sim simulator portfolio with new and unique solutions for offshore vessel training.”

The Annual Offshore Support Journal Awards, taking place on the evening of February 3rd 2016, is one of the most anticipated events in the offshore support calendar. Each year more than 500 attendees from all sectors of the offshore business gather in London to celebrate the industry's best performances from the past year. The Dynamic Positioning Award is “awarded to the developer of an innovative product or DP system, or contractor responsible for an especially innovative application of DP on a project.” The winner is voted for by the readers of Offshore Support Journal through internet-based reconciliation ahead of the conference. Nearly 100,000 votes were cast across the award categories in total.

The Brave Tern, a vessel used for the installation of wind turbines at sea, dominated the Rotterdam skyline on February 23rd. The 132 meter long ship was jacked up to a height of about seventy meters to test its extended legs.

The Brave Tern is owned by Norwegian Fred. Olsen Windcarrier. The vessel has four so called jacking legs with which she can position herself firmly on the seabed. The four legs of the Brave Tern are extended with fourteen meter each up to 92,4 meters during recent weeks in Rotterdam.

The upgrading of the jacking legs of the Brave Tern is executed by Franklin Offshore Europe in Rotterdam in close co‐operation with SRC from Estonia. In Rotterdam the extended legs are tested by jacking up the Brave Tern.

Also the frame and the boom of the ship’s crane are extended, in total of twenty meters. The crane is now capable to lift up to 120 meters above the deck of the Brave Tern.

The modifications of the 2012 build Brave Tern are necessary because wind turbines become more heavy and the blades of the rotor blades becomes larger. Also wind farm are installed in deep water more often. Sister vessel Bold Tern will get the same upgrade later this year.

The Brave Tern is now capable of carrying four complete ‘multi megawatt’ turbines, including towers and rotor blades. The vessel can operate in water depths up to sixty meters.

The Brave Tern will first do a maintenance job at the North Sea, before heading to the US east coast where it will assist in the construction of the first US offshore wind farm.

Franklin Offshore Europe in Rotterdam is a world leading service provider for the offshore industry. The company is part of Singapore headquartered Franklin Offshore with offices in Australia, Indonesia, South Korea, Azerbaijan, Qatar and the USA.

McDermott International, Inc. (NYSE:MDR) has announced that its new flagship derrick lay vessel, the DLV 2000, has secured scope as part of the current McDermott work schedule for the INPEX Ichthys LNG Project offshore Western Australia.

The DLV 2000 is a class 3 dynamically positioned vessel combining a 2,200-ton revolving crane with a deepwater S-lay pipelay system configured to install pipelines with diameters ranging from 4.5 to 60 inches in water depths up to 10,000 ft. The vessel can accommodate up to 400 personnel to facilitate large hook-up and commissioning projects and incorporates a large, 43,000 sq. ft. open deck to allow the transportation and assembly of large subsea structures; enabling safe and efficient stand-alone operations in remote areas.

The DLV 2000 is expected to join the project as part of McDermott’s 2016 current project schedule by installing large subsea spools, laying infield umbilicals and lifting several Subsea Distribution Units that will provide the hydraulic, chemical and electrical distribution from the umbilicals to the subsea drill centers. Work is expected to be performed in conjunction with McDermott’s other new subsea installation vessel, the Construction Support Vessel 108 (CSV 108), that is already working successfully on the project. The CSV 108 is expected to undergo an upgrade later this year to install a Vertical Lay System and Reel Deployment System, also for use in the project and will then be referred to as Lay Vessel 108 (LV 108).

“It is an exciting time to see our newest subsea vessels working side-by-side on this landmark project,” said Hugh Cuthbertson, Vice President, Asia. “We look forward to this being a very successful start for the DLV 2000 and helping us deliver a successful project for our client, INPEX, and other project stakeholders as well as demonstrating the capability and versatility of the McDermott subsea fleet to the industry.”

McDermott anticipates several months of work for the DLV 2000 offshore Western Australia during the second and third quarters of 2016.

On Sunday February 21^st at 12:09PM Eastern time, the LNG ship Asia Vision arrived in Sabine’s southern berth. Genscape’s Commodity Vectors product as well as Genscape’s visual camera confirmed the arrival of the ship as there are two berths at Sabine’s LNG facility for ships to dock. The Asia Vision has been waiting out in the Gulf of Mexico along with the Energy Atlantic for many weeks now as Cheniere has encountered delays in the commissioning and startup of Train 1.

As of Sunday afternoon the Energy Atlantic is still waiting out in the Gulf of Mexico. Since Asia Vision did not immediately come into Sabine’s berth it is known that the ship is empty (and not bringing in a maintenance cargo) as part of the commissioning process. The last ship to appear in Sabine’s berth was the British Innovator on November 14^th of last year. The British Innovator unloaded 2.87 Bcf as a maintenance ‘cool-down’ cargo in the startup and commissioning process of Train 1. As liquefaction continues at Train 1, Asia Vision appears to be the ship to take Sabine’s first LNG for export to Brazil or Europe, most likely. It is also anticipated that Sabine may fill all of their 17 Bcf of LNG storage before any LNG is loaded for export. As of this last week, Sabine has just begun this process of filling up their storage.

ABB, a leading power and automation technology group, will supply the power, propulsion and energy storage solution for two of the most innovative vessels operating in the offshore oil and gas sector. The specialized vessels require an advanced propulsion and power generation system to perform its operation. The new Azipod D will help the vessels safely achieve millimeter precision at open sea.

The Azipod D is the latest generation of ABB’s award winning podded electric propulsion system. The vessels will each feature two 4.2 megawatt units. A hybrid cooling system using combination of direct seawater cooling and internal air cooling increases electric motor performance by up to 45 percent. Overall, the Azipod units will have a substantial impact on the ships fuel efficiency. Maneuverability and station keeping is the key for the vessels and the Azipod propulsor’s 360 degree steerable propeller makes it ideal for their requirements.

The Onboard DC Grid will cut fuel consumption by up to 27%. It allows the ships’ four 3600kW generators, also supplied by ABB, to operate at variable and optimum speed. The vessel is also equipped with batteries, which will further optimize use of the power plant and reduce energy consumption.

“The solutions we are providing will make these ships incredibly flexible and efficient to operate,” says Juha Koskela, Managing Director of BU Marine and Ports. “The Azipod D, Onboard DC Grid and energy storage are cutting edge technologies which match the demanding conditions often experienced in the offshore sector.”

In line with the high technology equipment onboard, the ships will also be equipped with ABB’s Remote Diagnostic Service. This system will connect the vessels to ABB’s shore side technical support centers where the technicians can monitor the performance of the vessel and ensure necessary support.

The vessels will measure 90 meters by 20 meters and is designed to accommodate 36 persons onboard. They are designed by the Arendal, Norway based firm Cefront Technology, and will be built by COSCO. The vessels are designed to operate globally.