Damen delivers Long Range Ocean Patrol Vessel to the Mexican Navy

Monday, 10th February 2020

The Secretariat of the Navy of Mexico (SEMAR) has held a ceremony marking final acceptance and delivery of the Long Range Ocean Patrol (POLA) Class vessel ARM Reformador.

The delivery ceremony was attended by Admiral José Rafael Ojeda Durán, Secretary of the Navy and High Command of the Mexican Navy, in the company of Mr. Juan Carlos Atecas Altamirano, Municipal President of Salina Cruz Oaxaca.

Damen Shipyards Group was represented by Executive Board member René Berkvens, President of Damen Shipyards Mexico Horacio Delgado, and POLA Project Director Frank Verhelst. Additionally, representatives of the Mexican naval, military and civil authorities were present.

Speaking at the ceremony, the High Command of the Navy of Mexico expressed the pride of the institution for contributing to the maritime development of the country and the naval industry: “Today, the Secretariat of the Navy has the great honor to see the culmination of one of its most important naval projects in modern history. This Long Range Ocean Patrol Vessel has completed its commissioning and trial phase to begin a life at sea in the service of the Mexicans…”

Mr. Delgado said, “This is a vessel built in Mexico, for the Mexicans and by the Mexicans. We are proud to have this vessel finished with a significant footprint in the Southeastern region of Mexico and Isthmus of Tehuantepec. This includes 750 man-years of direct Mexican labour, 400 direct jobs and more than 2,000 indirect jobs.”

The POLA 101 is the most technologically advanced vessel in Latin America and will allow the Mexican Navy to carry out missions such as safeguarding Mexican sovereignty, international security cooperation, law enforcement, long range search and rescue operations and humanitarian aid. POLA will allow the United Mexican States to increase the surveillance coverage and the protection of their maritime interests beyond the 5 million square kilometers of Mexican jurisdictional waters.

The vessel has been delivered in a record time, in less than three years after contract signing, a result of the close cooperation between all parties involved, says Mr. Verhelst. “There has been excellent cooperation between the Mexican Navy, Damen, subcontractors and suppliers, both local and international. This, combined with modular construction, has enabled a smooth transfer of knowledge and technology critical to the project’s success.”

The 107-metre long vessel is based on Damen’s SIGMA Frigate 10514 and is the tenth of its kind. This represents a great accomplishment of Damen and the Dutch maritime industry and their fruitful collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Navy, the launching customer of eight generations of Damen combatants. SIGMA is a proven design that benefits from the wealth of knowledge possessed by the Dutch naval shipbuilding industry. This comprises world-renowned research institutes such as Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN) and a dedicated naval cluster of international specialist suppliers including 70 Dutch companies, including Thales. For the POLA, this cluster worked alongside various local Mexican companies, delivering valuable supplies and assistance during the construction of the vessel.

The Damen SIGMA design is conceived to be built modularly anywhere in the world and in more than one location simultaneously. For the Mexican project, two out of the six modules were built at Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS) in the Netherlands. A Mexican team has been based in the Netherlands to supervise this process and to receive an intensive knowledge transfer. The remaining four modules were built at ASTIMAR 20 in Salina Cruz by the Mexican production team, subcontractors and suppliers. Upon completion, the six different modules were brought together for final assembly, integration,commissioning and trials with assistance from Damen, including an intensive transfer of technology and training program.

Damen’s relationship with Mexico spans more than 40 years. During this time, Damen has delivered more than fifty vessels of various types to both private and governmental customers. The Mexican Navy is a long-standing client of Damen with the ARM Reformador(POLA-101) being their thirteenth Damen vessel. Previous deliveries include everything from patrol vessels to logistic support ships and one Damen Cutter Suction Dredger 650. Through the Damen Technical Cooperation business model, Damen has been able to successfully contribute to the Mexican shipbuilding industry by building high-quality vessels locally.

Marin – Mattress Debris & Recovery Systems

Thursday, 6th February 2020

Owners/Operators of Offshore Oil & Gas Facilities face an increasing headache when attempting to balance the dual aspect considerations of cost-control and environmental impact management in relation to redundant and degrading assets, in particular subsea concrete mattresses.

Marin TM Ltd believes they can support operator’s campaign requirements and significantly reduce the overall costs and potentially negative environmental impacts at the decommissioning sites, by applying a patented technological approach, with proven track record, whilst adhering to health & safety processes and procedures.

Possibly the Most Cost Effective Solution to Mattress Debris Recovery

Responsive mobilisation (same day service)
Ability to reduce operator’s Carbon Footprint
Proven track record on recovery operations globally
Environmentally friendly technology – can be 100% water drive
9.5m open span (4m closed)
Weight: 19te in air
50-100T Workload – High Volume.
Cubic capacity – 40m3
Deployable via crane wire or drill string
Operate in variable water depths for recovery of buried mattresses
Designed with safety auto lock (pressure off failsafe)
Surface supply or deep-water hot stab functions
Ability to load and stack multi mattress, operational efficient and reduces costs
Capable of bulk debris, incl. wire mesh netting & harsh material relocation, mattress removal or boulder recovery

Marin believes they can support operator’s campaign requirements and significantly reduce the overall costs and potentially negative environmental impacts at the decommissioning sites, by applying a patented technological approach, with proven track record, whilst adhering to health & safety processes and procedures.

Company invests in younger generation offering multi-skilled training

Thursday, 6th February 2020

A forward-thinking Great Yarmouth company is investing in its people of the future by training and supporting a raft of next generation young staff members.

Boat builder Goodchild Marine has employed 10 new trainees, all 25 and under, who are being offered skilled training in multi areas.

The award-winning business in Burgh Castle, is one of the UK’s industry leaders renowned for its flagship range of ORC pilot vessels, which has attracted orders from The Port of London, Dublin Port Company and Cattewater Plymouth.

In line, with Look Beyond, this year’s theme for National Apprenticeship Week, the latest recruits are receiving diverse training, sponsorship and support in skills such as electrics, lamination, carpentry, engineering and boat building.

Some are specialising in specific fields, while others will take up the opportunity to develop expertise in more than one skill.

Jamie Paul, 20, has swapped his career in retail to train as a laminator after relocating to Norfolk, following many family holidays in the county.

His work has extended to Leader, the UK’s first ever hybrid pilot boat.

He said: “The company has offered me lots of opportunities to try different trades – but I think laminating is definitely my favourite. I’ve really found my niche.
“My future ambition is to become a supervisor. Lots of people start here as trainees and work their way up; few people leave because it is such a great place to work. I never find myself not wanting to come to work, even with the 6am starts.”

Simon Cross, 25, is the company’s new Design Engineer, who, sponsored by the team, will shortly begin studying for his chartership.

He works with customers to design, research and develop their vessels, while Aaron Hudson, 19, the youngest new recruit, has left his job as a lifeguard to train as an electrician.

Aaron Cooper, 23, has only worked for Goodchild Marine for five months, and is already spending three days a week at the site of one of the company’s clients, as a maintenance engineer.

He said: “I am really happy to have been trusted to represent the company outside of the yard. Boat Builders Goodchild Marine is always open to trying new things and they give employees the chance to learn other people’s trades.
“They are a really family-based company – everyone is really friendly and straight up. They think about what’s best for their employees.”

Steve Pierce, General Manager at Goodchild Marine, said investment in training was part of the succession plan.
“We are really impressed with our new raft of employees. They all bring something different to the table and display the talent we need to keep our business running way into the future.

“We are extremely proud of the fact that they are local. It’s been an issue for several years to recruit locally and we are hoping that our reputation in the industry is helping to attract people to train with us and stay in the area.”

Case Studies

Jamie Paul, 20, Laminator
Jamie heard of a position at Goodchild Marine through his father, who is an engineer for the company.

The family moved to Great Yarmouth from Harlow in Essex, after holidaying for years at Cherry Tree Holiday Park in Burgh Castle.

Despite studying media and sport and working in retail, Jamie was attracted to a career change by the opportunity to learn multi skills.

He said: “Everyone here is so friendly, and the company has offered me lots of opportunities to try different trades – but I think laminating is definitely my favourite.

“I’ve really found my niche and I can’t see myself doing anything different now. I love the satisfaction of the job and being able to constantly monitor my progress.”
Jamie’s workmanship has been included on the UK’s first hybrid ORC pilot boat – Leader, for The Port of London Authority and laminating Lowestoft’s new pilot boat Kingfisher.

He said: “My future ambition with Goodchild Marine is to become a supervisor. Lots of people start here as trainees and work their way up; few people leave because it is such a great place to work. I never find myself not wanting to come to work, even with the 6am starts.”

Simon Cross, 25, Design Engineer
Simon from Caister studied mechanical engineering at Birmingham University and was familiar with Goodchild Marine, as both his father and grandfather had previously worked in the marine industry.

“I’m not sure that my role is one that people immediately think of when they think of a boatbuilder, but as a design engineer I’m the start of the story for our boats.

“I work with customers to design, research and develop their vessels. I also have to re-think design elements to make them suitable for transport. I’m currently redesigning our Man Overboard Platform to streamline the process.”
Simon is just about to begin studying for his chartership, making him a chartered engineer, which is being sponsored by the company’s Managing Director Alan Goodchild.

“I didn’t originally have myself down as a design engineer when I first left university, but my chartership is not only a great opportunity for myself, but it also raises the profile of the company and promotes the many opportunities they offer.”

20 Years Sales Success Built on Expertise & Integration

Wednesday, 5th February 2020

2020 sees the 20th anniversary of Energy Solutions distributing Victron Energy products in the UK, a business partnership that has grown year on year.

From the early days of selling power, monitoring and control products and services to marine customers, Energy Solutions has evolved to become a system designer, manufacturer and distributor for the marine vehicle and off grid markets; with Victron products forming an integral and integrated part of many of those systems.

Becoming the highest volume UK Victron distributor in 2006 set Energy Solutions in a position they have enjoyed for many years since.

The Energy Solutions teams in Engineering, Service and Sales are experts in the Victron range; from their understanding of the products, to how best to integrate them into systems that address the needs of clients.

Recognising this expertise Energy Solutions were appointed as the UK Service & Repair Centre for Victron in 2018, with the service team working alongside the 6 members of Technical Sales assisting dealers and customers across the country.

Victron Energy explains: “As Victron Energy we are extremely grateful and proud to be able to consider Energy Solutions as our distributor. Not only are they the perfect ambassador for our brand in making the market aware of the opportunities with our product, but we also have valuable cooperation in the development of new products and markets.”

In 2020 Energy will be highlighting the 20 years of growth with new Victron displays at trade shows, including Seawork and Farm Business Innovation, as well as special promotions and training events throughout the year.

Concludes Energy Solutions MD Paul Holland: “Since we started working with Victron Energy in 2000, their innovative, high-quality range has formed an integral part of our systems, and a key element of our online sales and growth. We look forward to developing the relationship even further.”

40th BOP and Riser Recovery Project

Wednesday, 5th February 2020

Marin the specialist BOP and Riser Recovery company has recently completed its 40th BOP and Riser recovery in Southern India for their client, ‘’this has been one of the most complex and challenging BOP Recovery Projects‘’ quotes the company, “that Marin have undertaken since 1994”.

Friday the 13th September 2019, saw the BOP successfully pulled from the extremely soft seabed in 726 metres of water where Marin tools were applied with great success to complete the complex and difficult recovery operations.

During the recovery process, the Modular Drilling Unit (MODU) suffered a pontoon and machine space breach and the rig started to list with potential to sink.

The Marin crew saw the successful containment and the stem of water brought under control with the direction of the OIM.

Marin’s highly experienced team continued to recover the asset, resulting in the BOP being fully recovered to deck using Marin procedures and specialist tooling and set back on the BOP carrier.

Conditions were extremely challenging and the rig, situated in the Bay of Bengal, bore the brunt of monsoon season starting, with cyclones and surface currents of 3-9 knots and waves regularly reaching heights of 3-5 metres. These conditions were recurring over the 8 weeks as the rig, SSV Louisiana, carried out the work to ensure that ONGC, the owners, were back on track with field developments.

Marin are an extremely diverse Subsea company that specialise in complex recovery and bespoke decommissioning projects in unlimited water depths.

Marin are globally operational and able to support complex operations with our range of water driven, environmentally friendly EVO tooling, designed and developed by Sills and Stroud who established the 30 years plus patented track record in proven Hydrodynamic Excavation tooling.

Mainprize Offshoreâ€™s First-In-Class WFSSV Line-Up in Denmark

Tuesday, 4th February 2020

Mainprize Offshore, the world-renown builder, owner and global operator of wind farm service and support vessels (WFSSVs), has showcased three of its fleet of ground-breaking vessels in a line-up in the port of Esbjerg in Jutland, Denmark.

The three vessels are part of the Mainprize Offshore fleet of nine craft, all of which service the offshore sector, primarily focusing on the renewables and wind farm sector whilst also undertaking surveying, diving and other operations for its worldwide client base.

The Scarborough headquartered business launched its new build wind farm vessel, the MO5 in September, which boasts numerous first-in-class achievements.

The MO5’s equally innovative sisterships, the MO1 and MO3, both built by Mainprize Offshore are currently operating from the Jutland region, providing crew and cargo support to offshore wind turbines.
The MO1 was the first Mainprize Offshore vessel built by the company and specifically designed to meet the ever increasing current and future demands of the offshore sector. The design of the vessel which has a wave piercing bow on a hydrofoil dynamic and multi-chined hull provides unique lift and drag reduction, cruising at 23 knots at a modest 14litres per mile.
Her twin Caterpillar C32 engines and bow thrusters together with four-point anchor systems also enables it to deliver exceptional station keeping. Four 20ft containers can be carried aft with over 100m2 deck space, provides extensive deck area fore and aft, for both wind farm support and dive operations, together with two crane mounting points.

The MO1 is also ideal for geo-surveying, features a 1.5m2 moonpool and the extensive bridge which features an extended computer area enabling up to five people can monitor the survey activity with ease. The bridge’s capabilities include bathymetric, sidescan sonar, 2D seismic and magnetometer surveys, bottom and sub-bottom profiling and AUV/ROV survey work.

The MO3 is similarly designed to match that of the MO1, with her capabilities including drop core, grab sampling, water sampling, trawl survey, depth of burial, object location-and-recovery and route surveys, plus scour monitoring, intertidal and bird surveys.

Mainprize has supported many other offshore wind farm sites, including; Sherringham Shoal, Hornsea, Triton Knoll, Blyth, Thornton Bank, Princess Amalia, Thanet, Kentish Flats, Greater Gabbard, Galloper, Gwynt y Mor, Q10, Dan Tysk, Sandbank, Horns Rev1,2,3, Rhyl Flats, Butendiek, Nordergrunde, Westermost Rough, London Array, Luchterduinen and Race Bank.

Prior to the MO5’s arrival, Mainprize Offshore’s fleet of eight vessels were already delivering far beyond that of its competitors in terms of capacity, crew comfort, transfer heights and cost-efficiency. Since her delivery in October the new MO5 has further complemented the fleet’s capabilities, delivering even greater results to Mainprize Offshore’s clients than previously achieved.

Bob Mainprize, Mainprize Offshore’s MD commented, “The MO5 was devised to maximise efficiency, crew and passenger comfort. Predominately designed as a ‘bring-to-work’ and high-speed cargo carrying solution for wind farm operatives and their equipment, the semi-SWATH high-load design, which carries 24 passengers and six crew members, is also suitable for operations including search and rescue, diving and surveying.”

He continues, “It is hugely exciting for both our clients and for us to discover how well the new vessel is performing. The MO5 is entirely exceeding all our expectations.” Following on from only 14 days on site the client activated all contractual options, clearly demonstrating the performance of the vessel and crew.”

Working closely with British naval architect firm, Walker Marine Design (WMD) who also designed the MO3 and MO4, the new MO5 semi-small waterplane area twin hull craft (SWATH) can uniquely transfer cargo and passengers in over 2mHs. Having a top speed of 26 knots and optimum running speed of 22 knots the 26-metre vessel is also class leader for cargo carrying, offering a payload of 70 tonnes. Furthermore, the MO5’s four-point anchoring enables her to undertake external dive operations with the added optional benefit of carrying a full dive suit and decompression chamber.

This design ethos testifies to the continuing evolution of the Mainprize Offshore line of vessels, being renowned as leaders in their class in providing a high-end and value added, cost-efficient service.
Following a very brief spell in port, the Mainprize Offshore trio of vessels returned to their duties off the coast of Jutland and Helgoland.

Visit www.mainprizeoffshore.co.uk for further information.

Boat ordered from Goodchild Marine will focus on crew comfort

Thursday, 30th January 2020

Norfolk boat builder Goodchild Marine has secured a contract to build the third ORC 121 pilot boat in a year.

The Cattewater Harbour Commissioners, Plymouth, have ordered the popular vessel from the Great Yarmouth company’s flagship range, due to its strong focus on crew safety and welfare, as well as the positive environmental credentials in the design.

Whole Body Vibration (WBV) experienced by all mariners working at sea, is reduced due to the hull design, along with the resiliently mounted wheelhouse, mitigating further the impact and vibration.

Crew seating is suspended and adaptable, and noise is alleviated greatly, achieving an improved working environment.

Designed by French company Pantocarene, the ORC 121 will adopt the same design as Kingfisher, owned by The Port of Lowestoft and Sedgemoor District Council’s new boat for the Port of Bridgwater, which is currently under construction in Goodchild Marine’s yard.

Richard Allan, Deputy Harbour Master at Cattewater said he was looking forward to working once again with Goodchild Marine.

“The team at Goodchild Marine fitted out our current pilot boat, so we are very familiar with the company’s work and the calibre of it.

“One of the main draws for us is the way the ORCs are built to ensure the maximum comfort of the crew, which is incredibly important to us.

“The boats are sought after because they also take into account developing technology, fuel savings and the environmental impact, which links into the Ports Air Quality Strategy document, so we are delighted to be able to engage in this partnership.”

Steve Pierce, General Manager at Goodchild Marine said: “Working with the Cattewater Harbour, Plymouth, on this project is very exciting.

“Plymouth is an extremely busy and bustling modern port, contributing millions to the economy, so it is vital for Richard and his team to have a boat that is both strong in purpose, but also in comfort.

“Our boats are able to withstand challenging conditions and that is a big plus point, but we have worked very hard to refine the internal fit out of our boats as the comfort of the crew is paramount.”

The boat is due for delivery during early summer.

Guardianâ„¢ life ring cabinets make it to Tampa Bay

Thursday, 30th January 2020

Tampa is the third largest city in Florida, after Miami and Jacksonville, with Tampa Bay being the largest port in the state. Such a location requires industry leading, reliable, water safety equipment, and that's exactly where we specialise.

Why did the City of Tampa choose Guardian™ Life Ring Cabinets?

As well as being a populous city, where many people reside, Tampa is also home to a number of vibrant and engaging tourist attractions – from arts and entertainment, to museums, cuisine and regular, city-wide events.

A notable event is the annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival – a pirate-themed mock invasion, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city each year.

Guardian™ life ring cabinets immediately proved to be a natural fit. Easily-accessible, strikingly-visible and impressively-durable, our vital equipment offers a practical solution when ensuring water safety remains high on the agenda.

Guardian™ life ring cabinets are also assisting the aims and aspirations of the Friends of the Riverwalk. This non-profit organisation is working with the city of Tampa to transform downtown's waterfront into an active, pedestrian-friendly environment for commerce, transportation, entertainment and fitness. These inspirational objectives are all being undertaken to enhance the city centre, and we're proud that our life ring cabinets are helping to keep the waterfront safe, too!

For more information about Guardian Life Ring Cabinets, visit https://uk.glasdon.com

Sefine Shipyard Turkey and Stone Marine Shipcare in new partnership

Wednesday, 29th January 2020

Stone Marine Shipcare is delighted to be opening a fully equipped propeller repair and modification base at the Sefine Shipyard in Turkey.

The shipyard has been growing rapidly since it first opened in 2005 and Suleyman Yilmaz the company’s Marketing Manager says “We are delighted with this new partnership. It is exactly what we need to further enhance our excellent repair services”

The new propeller repair base will provide Stone Marine Shipcare with a permanent Mediterranean site for the first time and Fran Johnson, Managing Director of the company is in no doubt as to the value of the new base for all parties: “We have worked with Sefine Shipyard frequently over the past few years and we have learned that we share the same goals & ideals for growth and the professional services that vessels should be receiving in shipyards today. With a new fully equipped propeller repair base now being positioned at their yard, the opportunity to expand this scope of work can be realised. This partnership strengthens our association moving into 2020 and beyond".

The new repair base will be fully operational at Sefine Shipyard soon and will be equipped to facilitate propeller repair & modification and CP thruster overhaul.

High Speed Transfers takes delivery of fourth Damen Fast Crew Supplier 2710 in 18 months

Tuesday, 28th January 2020

The UK-based High Speed Transfers (HST) Ltd has taken delivery of its fourth Fast Crew Supplier (FCS) 2710. This has occurred just over 18 months since it received its first, the HST Hudson, in June 2018, which was followed by HST Sofia in March 2019 and HST Harri in October of the same year. The latest addition is named HST Euan and in mid-January 2020 she was loaded on to a heavy lift vessel at Damen Shipyards Antalya in Turkey bound for Rotterdam.

The HST Euan replicates the features and layout of her sister ships. These include capacity for 26 passengers in safety and comfort and the ability to operate in wave heights of more than two metres. Other advances on the predecessor to the FCS 2710, the FCS 2610, include more flexibility, more tank capacity and greater deck space.

The new addition to the HST fleet has already been signed up for a five-year contract with leading wind farm operator MHI Vestas. Early next month she will join HST Harri in transporting personnel and equipment between Ostend and the company’s various sites in the North Sea.

HST’s fleet of FCS 2710 vessels has and continues to be kept busy, with all of them fully occupied over what is for many crew transfer vessel operators the quiet winter season. As stated HST Harri has been with working for MHI Vestas along with HST Sofiafilling in for HST Euan pending its arrival, and HST Hudson has recently completed a contract with Boskalis on the East Anglia One windfarm in the southern North Sea and is now beginning a new assignment on a Dutch project.

Full speed ahead
Despite its rapid growth, HST is not slowing the pace. “2019 was very much a year of growth,” says Tom Nevin, CEO of HST, “and we are carrying that momentum forward into 2020. We are in discussions with Damen regarding not only additional crew transfer vessels but also multi-purpose vessels such as Multi Cats. This would be a degree of diversification for us, opening up activities such as cable laying and maintenance, trench support and marine civil engineering using the larger, DP2 Multi Cats for maximum versatility. This would allow us to offer a broader range of services to our clients.”

The company is also supporting the Damen FCS 2610 and 2710 newbuilds in Taiwan for Hung Hua Construction with crew training in Europe and sea trials out on location. “Generally, we are looking to refine our service offerings and look more towards sustainable shipping,” concludes Tom Nevin.”

“We are very proud to be working with HST, which has deservedly made a name for itself through the quality and flexibility of its services,” says Damen UK sales manager Frederik van der Linde. “The HST team is also setting new standards in the offshore renewables industry amongst others with their vision for a sustainable future. We value our partnership with them and look forward to continuing this for many years to come.”

Author: CGTeam

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