AIS is delighted to announce that we have acquired subsea specialist CRP Subsea

Thursday, 17th November 2022

The acquisition will significantly increase the AIS market share by uniting two industry leaders to create one global-scale business. Together, the companies will be able to capitalise on the current oil and gas cycle, pursue the energy transition with combined resources, and will be better positioned to serve their client base.

About AIS
Headquartered in Gloucester, England, AIS is an award-winning global supplier of insulation, passive fire protection, buoyancy, and cable protection systems and has been providing global solutions since 2007.

AIS (Advanced Industrial Solutions) is a leading UK-based company specialising in providing world-class training, products, and services across a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, renewable energy, construction, and maritime sectors. Established with a mission to enhance safety, skills, and operational efficiency, AIS has become a trusted partner for businesses looking to upskill their workforce and improve their operational capabilities.

One of the key offerings of AIS is its comprehensive training programs. The company operates state-of-the-art training centers across the UK, delivering accredited courses in various disciplines such as health and safety, technical skills, offshore survival, and emergency response.

AIS’s training courses are recognised globally and are tailored to meet the specific needs of different industries. The company’s commitment to excellence in training is evident in its investment in cutting-edge facilities and highly experienced instructors, ensuring that participants receive the highest standard of education and practical experience.

In addition to training, AIS offers a range of high-quality products designed to enhance safety and efficiency in industrial operations. These products include protective coatings, insulation systems, fire protection solutions, and personal protective equipment (PPE). AIS’s product range is developed with a focus on innovation and reliability, helping clients to protect their assets and workforce in challenging environments.

AIS also provides specialised services, including inspection, maintenance, and repair solutions for industrial assets. The company’s expertise in these areas ensures that clients’ operations run smoothly and safely, minimising downtime and maximising productivity.

Overall, AIS is recognised for its commitment to quality, safety, and customer satisfaction. With its comprehensive training programs, innovative products, and expert services, AIS plays a crucial role in supporting the growth and development of various industries in the UK and beyond. Whether for individual skill enhancement or large-scale industrial solutions, AIS continues to set the standard for excellence in industrial support services.

About CRP Subsea
Based in Skelmersdale, England, CRP Subsea (formerly Trelleborg Offshore UK) has been a leader in cable protection and buoyancy solutions for over 40 years. They are specialists in polymer and syntactic foam-based buoyancy and protection products for the offshore renewable and oil and gas industries.

SolarDuck awarded the worlds largest hybrid offshore floating solar power plant

Tuesday, 15th November 2022

SolarDuck will build a 5MW demonstrator with innovative integrated energy storage solutions

The Hollandse Kust West (´HKW´) hybrid offshore wind and offshore floating solar (´OFS´) project catapults the Dutch-Norwegian company towards commercialisation and accelerates the scaling up of manufacturing, assembly and installation

Project due to become operational in 2026

Following the collaboration agreement signed between SolarDuck and RWE in July this year, SolarDuck was selected as the exclusive provider for offshore floating solar (´OFS´) technology with integrated energy storage in RWE´s bid for the offshore wind farm HKW VII.

The successful bid will now materialise a hybrid OFS power plant at scale. SolarDuck´s CEO Koen Burgers states: “This is a flagship project for SolarDuck and an important milestone for the wider OFS industry.

SolarDuck, being the first to build a hybrid project at this scale, will demonstrate the robustness of our solution, prove the important role of system integration in building future-fit energy systems, and enable the scaling of the technology to accelerate its adoption.

We are proud to work together with our partner, RWE, in this important project.”

SolarDuck accelerates the scaling and commercialisation of its technology

Delivering this project will enable SolarDuck to scale faster, reap the associated cost benefits and ultimately accelerate commercial projects at grid scale. Hybrid offshore wind and OFS projects promise to accelerate the adoption of OFS at scale.

The complementarities between wind and solar resources as well as making better use of existing infrastructure and the ocean space will drive the growth of hybrid OFS projects. In this way, SolarDuck can have a deeper impact in decarbonising the world, particularly in sunny regions of the world where land is scarce.

Dover Harbour awards berthing contract to Inland and Coastal Marina Systems

Tuesday, 15th November 2022

Pontoon manufacturer and water access specialist, Inland and Coastal Marina Systems (ICMS) has been awarded the contract to supply and install the new workboat berth in Dover Harbour by the Dover Harbour Board.

Owing to the port’s exposed location and the size of the vessels destined to use the new facility, the project will consist of 7 x 19.65m reinforced concrete breakwater pontoons.

Weighing in at almost 100 tonnes each, the floating concrete units will have one metre of freeboard and, when combined, will be suitable for berthing working vessels up to 1000 tonnes displacement.

“We’re delighted to have been awarded this contract to design, manufacture and install the new workboat facilities at the Port of Dover,” says Maeve Parker, Senior Marina Engineer at ICMS.

“With the busy port’s location on the southeast coast being relatively exposed, we’ve created a bespoke design using our robust concrete breakwater units which are strong and durable enough to accommodate the port’s workboats and large commercial vessels, providing safe all year round berthing, and water access for crews, for a long time to come.”

The project, which is due to start installation in spring 2023, also includes the supply of floating foam fenders and M&E services.

To find out more about Inland and Coastal’s pontoon ranges and unique decking options visit https://inlandandcoastal.com or email sales@inlandandcoastal.com

Marine Wipers – Caister Lifeboat Kudos for DuroWipers

Friday, 11th November 2022

A new first-in-class 14m ‘Medina Class’ lifeboat being built for a UK volunteer lifeboat service will be equipped with DuroWiper marine wipers.

The vessel will be fitted out with Class 50 pantographs, the smallest in the DuroWipers range, ideal for applications where space is at a premium.

“We’re proud to stand alongside the other high-quality suppliers supplying this lifeboat,” said Noel Gould, managing director, DuroWipers.

“DuroWipers built a name for itself in the search and rescue market supplying the RNLI newbuild Shannon lifeboats. More contracts in this sector stand testament to the reputation and quality of our product.”

First in class

Diverse Marine is building the vessel, which uses a design from Walker Marine Design, for the Caister Volunteer Lifeboat Service, at Cowes on the Isle of Wight, UK.

The 14m self-righting Lifeboat features an aluminium hull, deck and coach roof together with a resiliently mounted GRP wheelhouse, to reduce noise and vibration for the crew.

Power and propulsion for the vessel will be supplied by Scania and Hamilton Jet, and Seating and comms will be supplied by AllSalt Maritime and Boat Electrics and Electronics Ltd, respectively. The vessel is due for delivery later in 2022.

Wiper expertise

DuroWiper Pantographs and Pendulums are available in 24VDC and have a patented twin-drive rotary mechanism.

The system gives a maintenance-free, smooth, powerful, reliable performance, with a long life. It’s for this reason that DuroWipers provides warranties of three years for commercial users.

High-Performance Marine Wipers

High-performance marine wipers play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and efficiency of boats and ships, particularly in challenging sea conditions. Designed with advanced technology and durable materials, these marine wiper systems are essential for maintaining clear visibility on vessels navigating through heavy rain, salt spray, and turbulent seas.

In adverse weather conditions, such as storms or heavy fog, the ability to see clearly is paramount for the crew’s safety and the overall operation of the vessel. Marine windscreen wipers efficiently remove water, salt, and debris from the windshield, preventing obscuration and enabling the crew to maintain a clear line of sight. This is especially vital when navigating through crowded waters, avoiding obstacles, or responding to emergencies.

High-performance marine windscreen wipers are engineered to withstand harsh marine environments, including corrosive saltwater exposure and extreme temperatures. They are often equipped with features like adjustable speeds, multiple blade options, and robust construction materials to ensure reliability in demanding situations. The durability and functionality of these wipers contribute significantly to the overall seaworthiness of vessels, enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring the safety of crew and passengers even in the most challenging sea conditions.

Associated Listing:

The SMS Group is Shortlisted for Cruise Refurbishment of the Year

Wednesday, 9th November 2022

The SMS Group is shortlisted for cruise “Refurbishment of the year” Cruise Ship Interiors Expo recognises The SMS Group at the end of its most successful year in marine refurbishment.

The SMS Group, based within the ABP Southampton footprint, in the Port of Southampton, Hampshire, concludes its most successful year in marine refurbishment and interior outfit by exhibiting at Cruise Ship Interiors Expo, at London’s Excel, and with the industry recognition of being shortlisted for the highly acclaimed ‘Refurbishment of the year’ award.

The award, shortlisted by industry experts and decided by an industry vote, will be announced on Dec 1st, which is the final day of the two day trade show.

Dan Lockyer, Head of Marine Refurbishment for The SMS Group, said: “This is a great end to our year; and fantastic to have such industry wide recognition – if you’re reading this please take a moment to vote for us!

“We’ve had a tremendously positive year with several new customers coming onboard, two, new, landmark contracts (one of which we received at Seawork), several new starters and exceptional project successes in the cruise, ferry and defence sectors”.

He goes on say: “Works of varying sizes, across the marine industry, are helping to support the growth of the business and the maturity of the delivery team – as we roll into 2023 we’ll be undertaking significant works for the Royal Navy and for two major, international, cruise lines. 2022 has been a huge success and we look forward to 2023”.

Darren Smith, Head of Business Development, concludes by saying: “2022 has seen us achieve two major milestones; genuine maturity in our supply chain, and proven delivery across multiple projects, simultaneously.

This will allow the business to further scale in 2023 and onwards. As the liquidity within our core customer base rebounds post-Covid we look forward to supporting larger projects and continually developing our customer base”.
The SMS Group trades from eight locations in the UK offering marine engineering and interior outfit solutions both nationally and internationally.

The SMS Group is exhibiting at Cruise Ship Interiors Expo, Stand no. 5 1 6, from Nov 30th.

It was shortlisted for Refurbishment of the Year for its work for the Holland America Line simultaneously on the Volendam and Zaandam in Cadiz.

Visit https://cruiseshipinteriors-awards.com/sms-group-holland-america-volendam-zaandam/ for more details and to vote.

Associated Listing:

MJR Power and Automation Secures Accolade at the Global Offshore Wind Awards

Wednesday, 9th November 2022

The UK’s leading marine electrical engineering company – MJR Power and Automation – has secured a highly acclaimed award at one of the energy industry’s most coveted events.

Based in Stockton-on-Tees, MJR Power and Automation was announced as winners of the Supply Chain Innovation category at the Global Offshore Wind Awards 2022 in recognition of the company’s ground-breaking development of the world’s very first offshore wind vessel charging system.

Hosted by RenewableUK – and held in London – the award ceremony celebrated growth, innovation, vibrancy and resilience within the offshore wind sector and paid recognition to companies and individuals excelling and helping to shape the industry.

Set to transform offshore wind operations and maintenance activities by facilitating and speeding up the transition to electric vessels for zero emission operations, MJR Power and Automation’s offshore charging system enables vessels to connect safely and charge in the field.

The charge points enable all electric crew transfer vessels and other offshore support vessels to connect in the field to a 100% green energy source generated directly by the offshore wind turbines for the efficient, safe and reliable transfer of power.

The flagship project has been delivered by a consortium of partners led by MJR Power and Automation following the business securing funding as part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, funded by the Department for Transport and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.

Partners playing a vital role in the development of the revolutionary system – which is now in its final stages of testing – include Tidal Transit Limited, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Blackfish Engineering Design Ltd , XceCo Ltd and Artemis Technologies Ltd.

Speaking about the award, Paul Cairns, Managing Director at MJR Power and Automation said: “Our partners have been invaluable in the development of our innovative offshore charging system and together, we have achieved a world-class system that will absolutely revolutionise the marine sector.

“We are delighted to have won this award at this highly prestigious ceremony that will help us to gain further recognition for our system which is due for imminent deployment. We would like to take this opportunity to thank and praise all involved for their expertise and dedication.

“To be selected as a winner in the supply chain innovation category by industry experts, and, against fierce global competition, gives further validation to our offshore charging system and we are very much looking forward to taking it to market.”

Most recently, the company announced that it has been awarded a second round of UK government funding by the Department for Transport, as part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 2, delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.

This will see the business fast track the next development and prototyping of the offshore charging technology system which will allow Service Operation Vessels (SOVs) and Platform Supply Vessels (PSVs), as well as other vessel types, to connect in the field to a 100% green energy source generated directly by the offshore wind turbines for the efficient, safe and reliable transfer of power.

With over 25 years’ experience delivering marine electrical power and automation projects to the marine, offshore and energy sectors., MJR Power & Automation is at the very forefront of providing innovative solutions – both at port and offshore – to support the decarbonisation of the maritime sector.

Associated Listing:

Relaunched DESMI cargo pumps support the green transformation

Tuesday, 1st November 2022

DESMI has relaunched a range of cargo pumps for liquefied gas that plays an important role in the world’s gas supply chain – and supports the marine industry’s voyage towards a greener future.

Even though steps are being taken all over the world to evolve away from fossil fuels, gas will continue to play an important role in the global energy mix for years to come.

Gas carriers therefore play a critical role, transporting liquefied petroleum gas, ethylene gas, and natural gas (LPG, LEG, and LNG) from producers to consumers worldwide.

The continued importance of gas carriers is one reason why DESMI has recently relaunched its range of cargo pumps. Without cargo pumps, carriers would be unable to unload their cargo safely and efficiently, and DESMI’s pump solutions get the job done quickly, reliably, and with a minimum of energy. There is, however, an even more important reason for the relaunch: Various types of gas will, in fact, be a key factor in the green transformation and support the marine industry towards a greener future – and DESMI is on board for this voyage.

Fulfilling future gas handling requirements

“Our NDW range of cargo pumps is designed for LPG and LEG applications, but that’s just the start,” explains Martin Bro, Global Sales Manager for Gas Systems at DESMI. “The marine business is evolving fast: To reduce carbon emissions, many marine engines are already fuelled by LPG and LEG today, and we expect that this tendency will only increase in the years to come.”

Gas cargoes, too, will likely change. “We’ll probably see an increased need for liquefied CO2 transportation,” adds Martin Bro. “The evolution of carbon capture and storage technology means that CO2 needs to be shipped to underground storage locations.

So, both in terms of fuels and cargo, gas will change shipping, and our cargo pumps support this evolution: They will be developed to handle LNG, CO2, and other liquefied gases, and they can be adapted for use as gas fuel pumps. In short, they will be able to fulfil all future liquefied gas handling requirements.”

A proven pump range gets even better

DESMI has been in the cargo pump business before, manufacturing and installing 250+ cargo pump solutions on carriers from the mid-90es to around 2010. The new NDW range therefore marks a return to the market of a proven pump range. For the relaunch, DESMI combines this experience with the company’s general expertise in marine pump design and adds a range of technological advances.

“Over the years, we have quite simply become much better at building pumps, and a new DESMI cargo pump is superior to an old one,” says Martin Bro. “To take just one example, our design processes have improved through the use of state-of-the-art design and calculation tools.

With computational fluid dynamics and stainless-steel casting simulations, we have achieved a highly efficient pump design customised to our customers’ exact requirements. In fact, the efficiency of our centrifugal cargo pumps is approximately 80%.”

Efficient manufacturing and global support

While the new cargo pumps are designed and developed at DESMI headquarters in Denmark, they are manufactured at DESMI’s Chinese production facilities – close to the shipyards where the pumps will be installed. This makes pump manufacturing fast and efficient, and since parts and complete pumps do not need to travel the globe several times before being installed, the process is more climate-friendly, too.

Shipyards and designers not only benefit from highly reliable long-shaft deep well cargo pumps that comply with all international marine regulations and requirements. Customers can also expect full global support from the Danish pump manufacturer – from design, development, and manufacturing to delivery and aftersales service. But most importantly, they can look forward to working with a manufacturer with the experience and capabilities to support them on their voyage into a greener future.

From LPG to LNG and beyond

“Not only is sea transportation of liquefied gas still important; it looks set to be an integral part of the green transformation,”concludes Martin Bro. “Our relaunched range of cargo pumps is ready to support companies now and in future – from LPG to LNG and beyond.”

For more information on DESMI’s cargo pumps, visit https://www.desmi.com/segments/marine-offshore/cargo-pumps/

Or contact Mr. Martin Bro at mbro@desmi.com or at +45 96 32 82 04

Rotec team signs up to Santa Abseil challenge in support of St Margarets Hospice Care

Tuesday, 1st November 2022

It may be too early to mention the festive season, but St Margaret’s Hospice Care is gearing up for Christmas already with the launch of its new fundraising event – Santa Abseil.

Sponsored by Rotec Hydraulics Ltd, volunteer fundraisers will abseil a 60ft drop at Cheddar Gorge, one of Britain’s most spectacular natural landmarks, all while dressed as Santa!

Never one to walk away from a challenge, six Rotec employees will be taking on the challenge on Saturday 3rd December at 12.30pm.

The team, consisting of Stroud Branch Manager, Dale Lockart, Quality Manager, Josie Chamberlain, Marketing Manager, Rachel Worth, Design Engineer, Isaac Anderson, Production Stock Control Manager, Glyn Cattle and Sales Office Manager, Alex Pounde have all volunteered and, as part of the challenge, have pledged to raise a minimum of £125 each to support the charity’s vital work.

Last year St Margaret’s Hospice supported more than 5,000 people. This care is provided because of fundraising events like the Santa Abseil, with supporters raising thousands of pounds to help provide care across Somerset.

£125 sponsorship could pay for a specialist Community Nurse visit for one of the hospice’s local patients being cared for at home and an hour’s support to one of St Margaret’s patients at home by one of their Adviceline nurses.

Paul Prouse, Managing Director of Rotec Hydraulics Ltd said:

“It is our great pleasure to support the hospice by sponsoring their Santa Abseil. The vital work they do to help patients with life-limiting illnesses, together with their families and carers is remarkable.”

Rachel Worth, Marketing Manager commented:
“All members of the Rotec Santa Abseil team are excited and pleased, albeit a little nervous, to take part in the Santa Abseil challenge. We wish to say thank you to everyone who has donated so far. Every penny will help this great cause to continue to deliver essential support to those living with a life-limiting illness and their loved ones.”

The hospice is hoping participants will raise enough to pay for a weeks’ worth of community visits across Somerset. Around a hundred visits each week are made by one of the five community teams and are a vital part of the care and support offered to patients and their families.

For those wishing to donate, please visit http://bit.ly/rotecsanta.

MJR Power and Automation Secures Accolade at the Global Offshore Wind Awards

Tuesday, 1st November 2022

One of the UK’s leading marine electrical engineering companies – MJR Power and Automation – has secured a highly acclaimed award at one of the energy industry’s most coveted events.

Based in Stockton-on-Tees, MJR Power and Automation was announced as winners of the Supply Chain Innovation category at the Global Offshore Wind Awards 2022 in recognition of the company’s ground-breaking development of the world’s very first offshore wind vessel charging system.

Hosted by Renewable UK – and held in London – the award ceremony celebrated growth, innovation, vibrancy and resilience within the offshore wind sector and paid recognition to companies and individuals excelling and helping to shape the industry.