New vessel cleans ports without polluting the air

Thursday, 5th December 2019

Fighting ocean plastic pollution and cleaning up our waterways is big news and a British company have launched what they believe is the world’s first zero emission litter and debris collection vessel.

Liverpool-based Water Witch have been building pollution control workboats for this purpose for decades, but their newest innovation means that for the first time waterway maintenance and debris retrieval can be zero-emission as well as cost-effective. This has been made possible by the rapid improvement in electric boat drives over the past few years, which now gives the range and durability required for this type of work.

Jackie Caddick, Director at Water Witch, said that “we have been working to integrate electric propulsion for some time, but the breakthrough was the reliability and range of the Torqeedo system. We are passionate about the environment, and we see this technology as a critical step towards being carbon-neutral in our efforts to keep plastic pollution from entering our oceans and landing on our beaches.”

The company has a reputation for innovation in this sector, with a number of ‘world—firsts’ since they launched in the 1960’s, and for this launch have teamed up with Torqeedo, who are themselves at the forefront of electric boat drive technology. The propulsion system for the boat consists of the Torqeedo Cruise 10 outboard motor, two Torqeedo Power 48 lithium-ion batteries and cockpit control panel that gives the operator an at-a-glance view of system status, including range at current speed.

The outboard configuration of this system allows Water Witch to offer it as a direct replacement to their standard four stroke engine power option. Performance increases in battery technology, with 70% lower volume and weight than comparable batteries, mean that trim and stability is not affected and overall vessel weight is kept low for easy shipping and trailering.

Although the Versi-Cat’s main function is retrieving plastic litter, debris and aquatic vegetation, the design also includes a range of ‘pods; that sit between the hulls. It is extremely adaptable for a huge range of applications for Port and Harbour operators, ranging from fast response pollution control needs, to mobile pump out and general maintenance support. According the Jackie, the potential for this system to make a real environmental impact is huge. She said that “this is a green, safe, zero-emission solution with long life, low maintenance and minimal operating costs. It’s a real game-changer for Port and Harbour operators looking to keep their waterspace, clean, attractive and safe..”

Advanced Insulation and Kamharis are celebrating one year of collaboration in Nigeria

Thursday, 5th December 2019

Kamharis is an engineering, procurement and construction company based in Nigeria and Advanced Insulation a UK based, global provider of technically advanced fire protection, insulation and marine products are celebrating the first year of a successful collaboration.

This collaboration is enabling the two companies to work closely together on Oil, Gas and Subsea projects within the region and provides International Oil Companies with the confidence that their project will be delivered efficiently. The two companies first worked together in 2015 and due to their synergy decided to make the relationship more formal 12 months ago.

Reflecting on the first year of the collaboration, Andrew Bennion, MD for Advanced Insulation said, “this collaboration ensures we comply with the NOGICD Act and supports Advanced Insulation’s growth strategy in this region. Given the success of the first 12 months, we are very excited to see what develops in year two”.

President of Kamharis, Harrison Douglas said: “Finding the right partner was key for us and we are delighted to be working closely with Advanced Insulation whose presence in the Oil and Gas industry is significant. Our collaboration is already boosting the presence of both companies in the region and demonstrates our commitment to Nigeria”.

The collaboration benefits the local economy in Nigeria by employing and training local people to UK standards. This in turn benefits customers, who have access to a greater depth of local resources, with enhanced expertise and enables a wide geographical area to be served without compromising on values or quality.

Country Manager, Bob Collinson said: “Our collaboration has united two firms who have a very similar ethos and who share a customer-focused approach to providing excellent service during the entire project lifecycle.

DLMâ€™s Harley Avery wins the LEEA, Apprentice of the Year Award 2019

Wednesday, 4th December 2019

Dynamic Load Monitoring (UK) Ltd, specialists in the design, manufacture and calibration of Load Cells and Load Monitoring equipment attended the well renowned LiftEx event in Milton Keynes this November.

At the event DLM were short listed for two awards, the first being, Innovative Product of the Year award whereby they showcased their DL 3.0 Data Logger and the second, for Apprentice of the Year award, with their Apprentice Calibration Technician, Harley Avery.

DLM had a busy couple of days contributing to the successful LEEA event, they were exhibiting and networking in the exhibition hall, catching up with fellow industry friends and winning new interest in their current products.

DLM came to Milton Keynes with their collection of TW 3.0 products, including, the DL 3.0 Data Logger which was presented by Managing Director, Martin Halford at the Innovation Product awards ceremony.

As a small business, Dynamic Load Monitoring (UK) Ltd help each other progress through their careers; they value each team member, working together to achieve great things. In particular, one of their team members, Harley Avery, had shown exceptional skills training to become a calibration technician in their engineering department. Furthermore, DLM were pleased to have won the Apprentice of the Year award this year at the prestigious event put on by LEEA. Harley Avery won his deserved award on the evening of 13th, a great evening of entertainment and more celebrated winners.

The company has a diverse range of ages, older and younger; with the belief that everyone should have the chance to enjoy and work in our exciting industry. Giving young people the opportunity to learn through apprenticeships is something DLM value. They acknowledge the importance of giving young people a start in the industry, and eliminating the stigma that comes with apprenticeships, especially as career choices for the younger generation are now so vast. DLM could not be prouder of their team member Harley to have achieved this award, a great initiative by LEEA to show the effort young people put into their apprenticeships.

Harley’s performance in both on-the-job and off-the-job training has constantly been outstanding. Harley has been working with DLM for two years attaining his apprenticeship through Southampton Engineering Training Association (SETA). In the first section of his apprenticeship he studied at SETA learning general engineering, he then went on to do day release, to broaden his knowledge of on the job training. Harley’s work effort and determination brings a spark to DLM and they are thrilled that LEEA has acknowledged this.

Overall, a successful time spent at LiftEx this year for DLM, they look forward to returning to the awards evening and exhibition next year.

Tees Components grows share of marine defence market

Wednesday, 4th December 2019

Tees Components is growing its presence in the marine defence sector after recently completing projects for two globally renowned companies.

Tees Components are a family-run firm based at North Skelton, near Saltburn, undertook precision machining work on a submarine rescue system for a project being delivered by Sheffield-based Portobello RMF for Forum Energy Technologies (FET), the global oilfields and subsea technology company headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Tees Components was contracted by Portobello RMF to carry out precision machining work on the system’s components, sub-assemblies and assemblies to support an FET project commissioned by a navy in the Far East.

Designed and built specifically for the military market, FET’s submarine rescue vehicles are designed to free fly under battery power and are capable of diving to depths of 600 metres, exceeding the survival depth of many full-sized submarines.

Portobello RMF is a specialist high integrity fabricator, carrying out bespoke work for a range of applications using varied material combinations, including Incoloy, Duplex, Super Duplex, and Hastelloy. It is internationally recognised in the mechanical design and manufacture pressure vessels, heat exchangers and special fabrications for a diverse market including marine defence, oil & gas, petrochemicals and nuclear industries.

Tees Components has now worked with the company on a variety of projects in these fields, including the development of prototypes.

This project required a high degree of expertise from Tees Components’ machinists, as complex fabrications in these materials can often be unpredictable in terms of their movement during and after the machining processes.

An excellent relationship between the two companies has ensured consistent communication flow, which is essential when the machinist is removing metal at various stages of sub and final assemblies.

Contracts are typically overseen by a third party such as Lloyds Register of Shipping.
In addition, Tees Components has been awarded approved contractor status by David Brown Santasalo, one of the world’s leading mechanical power transmission brands, which operates across six continents.

The company provides assurance critical gearboxes for marine defence applications such as surface ships and submarines and is an expert in the design of quiet and lightweight transmission systems, which operate in some of the harshest and most demanding environments.

With highly skilled machine shop and quality engineers, in addition to the heavy investment in new machine tools and precision measurement equipment, Tees Components is ideally placed for finish machining of such products.

It has the capacity to handle up to 70 tonnes, turning up to 6.8m diameter, and milling up to 11m in length. Its six-acre site has one of the largest machining capacities in the UK, enabling the company to accommodate anything from multi-million-pound defence projects and offshore power generation, to local projects and one-off pressure testing.

Sharon Lane, Managing Director of Tees Components, said: “The company is gaining a growing reputation for reliability and excellence within the marine defence market and this reflects its growing diversification into a range of sectors, which also includes nuclear, renewables and decommissioning. Our management systems, including ICT, are well-established for security restricted contracts, and we continue to invest in our site security as we work towards achieving List X status.”

“Tees Components was selected by two internationally renowned companies for these projects because of its consistent reliability and quality service. In addition, being awarded approved contractor status by David Brown Santasalo is a huge vote of confidence in our capabilities and we look forward to establishing a long-term partnership.”

Pre-filtration of ballast water management systems

Wednesday, 4th December 2019

The fully automated filtration solutions by BOLL & KIRCH < NEW TAB LINK https://www.bollfilter.com/en/filters/marine-filter/ballast-water-filter.html > are one of the key elements in ballast water management systems used on a wide range of deep sea vessels.

Using a BOLLFILTER as a pre-filter ensures trouble-free functioning of these sensitive, multi-stage systems. This filter removes organic particles and sediments from ballast water up to a particle size of 50 μm with great efficiency.

Thanks to its innovative design and optimised functionality, the BOLLFILTER guarantees the necessary filtration quality even at the highest of flow rates. The compact automatic filters are embedded in the system between the coarse filters and the chemical or physical disinfection unit.

https://www.bollfilter.com/en/applications/water-filtration/maritime-filtration-ballast-water.html

Dean Clark, Internal Sales Manager of BOLLFILTER UK Filters Department, is now focusing on UK customers requirements, for contract proposals, technical enquiries and new sales growth. He’ll be more than happy to assist you.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-clark-35a941a0/

Corrosion Protection Just Got Easier!

Wednesday, 4th December 2019

Plasmet ZF – a corrosion-inhibiting coating from Corroserve is now available in a 400ml aerosol for easy application in difficult to access areas and for touch up work offshore and at sea.

Coating with a Plasmet ZF aerosol takes much less time when compared with brush application; it also ensures that every inch of the surface is covered – even deep areas and hard to reach nooks and crannies which might otherwise be missed.

Other key benefits that users can expect are: even coverage, minimal preparation; there is no longer a need to mix components on site from separate containers, and no clean up requirement afterwards. In addition, once opened, the aerosol has a long pot life – at least 24 hours, meaning the user has time to complete a number of jobs across a site or installation.

Ease of use
No mixing in site
No clean up
Min preparation
Long Pot life
Convenience

Plasmet ZF is a tough, durable rust tolerant coating requiring minimal surface preparation, offering long term resistance to corrosion attack for applications ranging from all types of structural steelwork, tanks and pipework in many marine industry sectors. Tough, durable and tolerant of vehicular traffic, Plasmet ZF can be used for protection in both immersed and atmospheric conditions.

With so many ease of use and convenience benefits, a Plasmet ZF aerosol will soon have a place in every service engineer’s tool bag – giving fast, effective corrosion protection… in an instant.

Wight Shipyard Coâ€™s largest export order of four vessels

Monday, 2nd December 2019

UK shipbuilder Wight Shipyard Co. is continuing its success in the fast ferry sector securing an order for four vessels from Malta’s tourism Leaders, Captain Morgan.

The order, from Captain Morgan Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Fortina Investments Ltd, consists of four new build vessels, two 20m and two 33m catamarans, all to be designed by One2Three Naval Architects.

Peter Morton, CEO, Wight Shipyard, said: "We have been working with One2Three to develop lighter, more fuel-efficient ferries with the subsequent reduction of fuel costs. The operators see the long-term benefits in using less fuel and thereby reducing carbon emissions. We are also working to integrate the boarding design for the ancient wharves and docks of the towns of Malta.”

Familiar design
The two new build 20m harbour waterbus vessels will replace a number of older vessels, which already service the harbour routes. They will be designed to service the low wharves at each harbour providing easy embarkation and debarkation for passengers while cruising around the harbour.

These vessels will be of a similar design to Wight Shipyard’s Loch Ness Jacobite Maverick 20m day cruise passenger catamaran, also designed by One2Three Naval Architects. The new 20m design is a slower harbour waterbus designed for going point to point around the main ports of the capital.

Fortina Investments CEO Edward Zammit Tabona said: “We are very excited about this venture and collaboration with Wight Shipyard, which is renowned for its high standards and attention to detail. We are looking forward to launching these vessels in Malta’s seas in May 2020, which will see Captain Morgan Group take its sea and land transport services to another level.”

These vessels form an integral part of Fortina Investments’ innovative iSeeMalta concept, which provides visitors with access through a single pass to the ferry service, City Sightseeing buses, public transport as well as museums, Heritage Malta sites, entertainment spots and other attractions.

Tried and tested
The two 33m medium speed vessels are a new design for Wight Shipyard, based on a commuter boat currently used on Sydney harbour.

Strength to strength
Wight Shipyard Co. has recorded exceptional success in the fast ferry sector since its inception, and this latest order will take the yard to 13 new builds in just over four years.
Previous notable builds include the renovation of the historic motor yacht MY Shemara, Red Funnel’s Red Jet 6 and 7, three MBNA Thames Clippers, the Jacobite Maverick in Scotland, the Twin City Liner commuter and sightseeing vessel on the River Danube, and most recently two fast ferries delivered this summer for Mexico’s largest ferry operator Ultramar.

Prestigious Project Win for PSM Instrumentation in China

Tuesday, 26th November 2019

PSM Instrumentation has recently announced a prestigious project win with their longstanding partner and distributor in China, Marinetec, supplying PSM sensors to China Oilfield Services Limited (COSL) for eight new build vessels at the Wuchang shipyard.

Working closely with Marinetec and the local expertise and knowledge they bring to projects, PSM supplied over 500 of their Marine Type Approved APT500 sensors as a complete package to the 4000HP LNG Powered PSV vessels for all ballast, fresh water, fuel and lube oil service tanks and draught measurement.

PSM APT500 sensors are fully certified for use in hazardous areas under ATEX and IECEx, and COSL recognised that they will provide a rugged and reliable solution for the harsh marine environments that these new vessels will need to be able to withstand.

Please visit www.psmmarine.com or contact Mark Jones, Sales & Marketing Manager at PSM Instrumentation, by e-mail: mark.jones@psmmarine.com or telephone: +44 (0)144 410 040 for more information on the products.

Rever Offshore Announces Topaz Charter Extension

Tuesday, 26th November 2019

Rever Offshore, a subsea project delivery and execution provider to the offshore energy industry, has announced the three-year extension to the charter of its DSV Rever Topaz.

The contract will see Rever Offshore secure exclusive and uninterrupted access to this asset from long-term partner Volstad Maritime until December 2022, with flexible options to further extend the charter to the end of 2025. This extension underpins the capabilities and renowned operational skills Rever Offshore brings to the oil and gas industry.

The Rever Topaz has been a fundamental part of the company’s fleet for the last decade and as a result of this extension, Rever Offshore has continued to win and execute workscopes in support of IRM, decommissioning and construction activities for Rever Offshore’s client base.

Barry Macleod, CEO at Rever Offshore, commented: “Rever has a well-established track record of diving operations and over the years we’ve built a strong reputation with our clients through our work as well as the Topaz’s capabilities. We’re delighted to have secured this extension over the next three years which will allow us to continue to deliver comprehensive support for clients.”

SMS Group completes double refit for Holland America

Tuesday, 26th November 2019

The SMS Group, one of the UK’s leading ship repairers and marine engineering services providers, has completed two pieces of major interior outfit work for Holland America Line in the Caribbean and Canada.

SMS has an enviable reputation as specialists in ship repair, marine engineering and major fabrication projects in the Commercial Marine, Defence and Superyachts sectors.

The business also operates, inâ€house, a diving and subâ€surface marine engineering division.

Since 2018 the company has developed a ‘boutique’ interior outfit division focusing on both Cruise and Commercial tonnage. This division, led by industry veteran Dan Lockyer is thriving in the Cruise space.
In respect to the recent wins Dan said: “The experience and expertise within my team is exceptional.

“Completing these first two, major projects, on time and on budget is a tremendous credit to both my colleagues and our customer alike. We’re extremely grateful.”

He added: “The Noordam refit, undertaken in the Seaspan yard in Victoria, Canada, was a great success.
“We had over 20 men onsite, with two project managers, and completed works in 742 cabins.

“The Volendam was similar, although a slightly smaller project. The works were undertaken in Freeport, Grand Bahamas. It featured 16 men, a project manager, and 196 suites. Both projects enjoyed several work streams.”

In conclusion Dan said: “The refits ran like clockwork for two simple seasons, and these reasons are what sets us apart in the market.

“One, our ethos is one of ‘ownership’ and ‘responsibility’. We’re a small team and our project managers own the job from start to finish.

“And two, we genuinely care. We’re not a big corporate. We ‘re a small, dedicated and focussed team that directly engage with, and passionately support the customer – we care.”

Ben Rowe, general manager of SMS in Southampton, said: “The Cruise space is becoming more important to SMS from an engineering perspective too.

“As a team we specialise not only in outfit but also in the provision of structural, mechanical, electrical and hydraulic support – not only here in Southampton but internationally through the provision of riding squads.
“As this maritime vertical continues to grow so too will our support infrastructure.”

The interior outfit pipeline of works within the SMS Group now exceeds circa £3m GBP with an even split between Cruise and Commercial tonnage.

Dan, and his colleagues, will be attending Cruise Ship Interiors Expo Europe, from the 4th to 5th of December in Fira Barcelona.

The business prides itself on the provision of 24/7 national and international support.

Contact Dan Lockyer and the ship repair team at the SMS Group at dan.lockyer@smsâ€marine.co.uk or on 0845 013 0481.

Author: CGTeam

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