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Latest news in the marine industry

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Brittany Ferries’ Salamanca passenger ferry uses Wärtsilä’s SPECS camera system for more efficient and safer operations

Wärtsilä Voyage’s Smart Panoramic Edge Camera System (SPECS) will be used by Brittany Ferries to improve the safety and efficiency of its passenger ferry operations. SPECS will be first installed onboard the Salamanca – the 214.5m, 1,015 passenger ferry which started operations between Portsmouth and Bilbao in March 2022.

Navigating busy ports and berthing are two of the most challenging aspects of ferry operations. Increased vessel size, introduced in line with ‘safe return to port’ regulations, and challenging weather conditions mean the margin for error during these manoeuvres is tiny. The SPECS super-wide cameras will give the crew a 360° view, from the edge of the hull to the horizon, streamed directly to the bridge in real-time. Live distance indications to objects around the vessel reduce risks of a collision, protecting passengers, crew and the ferry, while improved visibility helps captains navigate rough seas.

With busy schedules to keep, minutes used manoeuvring on each side of a voyage can also quickly increase costs. The efficiencies achieved thanks to the assistance of the SPECS system can maximise trading time and minimise fuel consumption. By saving fuel, Brittany Ferries is also reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, advancing the company’s sustainability strategy.

Arnaud Le Poulichet, Director of Engineering and Maintenance, Brittany Ferries, said: “When the captain is confident in manoeuvring it improves safety, saves time and fuel. This clear and strong return on investment makes adopting SPECS an obvious decision.

“But there is more to embracing digitalisation. Using the latest technology also plays an important role in attracting highquality crew. By having innovative technology onboard, we make seafaring attractive to a new generation of seafarers – who we must engage in the industry.”

Sasha Heriot, Head of Product, Assistance Systems, Wärtsilä Voyage, commented: “SPECS will help the crew of the Salamanca augment their situational awareness whilst also enabling Brittany Ferries to improve operational safety and efficiency. The company’s proactivity in adopting cutting-edge technology is impressive and will ensure it remains one of the leading cross-channel ferry operators.

“It is also encouraging that Brittany Ferries shares our vision of a high-tech future for bridge systems and is excited about, not only the benefits SPECS can bring today, but also how technology will advance and develop into the future. SPECS provides the core situational data that will make this vision a reality and we are delighted to be partners with Brittany Ferries on this digital journey.”

SPECS also enables a host of other functions. Processed data can be exported for use in simulation and training. Brittany Ferries plans to use the data to show other crew how manoeuvring can be performed in specific conditions and ports. Export to simulation facilities can also allow for close investigation into any vessel incidents and thus reduce the risk of similar occurrences.

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A.P. Moller - Maersk buys Danish project logistics company Martin Bencher Group of project logistics

A.P. Moller - Maersk (Maersk) has reached an agreement to acquire Martin Bencher Group, a Denmark-based project logistics company with premium capabilities within non-containerised project logistics.

Martin Bencher was founded in 1997 and is an asset-light logistics provider that specialises in project logistics. Martin Bencher’s core capability is designing end-to-end project logistics solutions for global clients, and the company’s competitive strengths include deep industry expertise, a solid track record, long-term stakeholder relationships as well as a highly skilled organisation.

“Martin Bencher will be an excellent fit to Maersk and our integrator strategy, strengthening our ability to provide project logistics services to our global clients,” said Karsten Kildahl, Regional Managing Director in Europe, Maersk. “When Martin Bencher joins the Maersk family, we will be able to deliver project logistics services with a high degree of reliability, a proven track-record, and a strong focus on Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE). In addition to supporting our existing customers’ project logistics needs, we will also be able to provide a more comprehensive offering to a wide array of industries.”

With the intended acquisition of Martin Bencher, Maersk will also introduce a new product, Maersk Project Logistics. Project logistics is a specialised service offering within the global logistics industry that covers the combination of solution design, special cargo transportation, and project management services – including detailed planning, orchestration, and sequencing of end-to-end shipments from suppliers to destination sites.

Such service requires managed transportation capabilities with deep technical specialist knowledge around specific supply chain elements such as the handling of oversized and special lift cargo, conducting road surveys, and delivery planning as well as offload and assembly of the equipment on sites.

Project logistics is not new to Maersk, as the company already has niche competencies based mainly in Europe and North America. However, in order to expand and mature the service offering, existing activities will be consolidated into a global product offering.

“We are thrilled to become an integral part of Maersk, which we see as an ideal fit for our people and clients,” commented Peter Thorsoe Jensen, CEO of Martin Bencher. “Clients requiring project logistics are aware of the constraints and challenges facing them and are seeking strategic partners with sufficient ambitions and strength to handle their entire global supply chain now and in the years to come.

“Together with Maersk, we will have the scale, commitment, and capabilities to handle the entire logistics scope of work for clients around the world – as well as expand into new industries.”

Martin Bencher Group is headquartered in Aarhus, Denmark, and has a presence in key locations globally through 31 offices in 23 countries, with almost 170 employees.

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Reygar and Cedar Marine collaborate to deliver carbon reduction for fleet operators of project logistics

Maritime remote monitoring business Reygar, and carbon reduction and sustainability specialist Cedar Marine, have partnered to provide an integrated service for monitoring and reducing fuel, energy use and carbon emissions, across vessels and business operations of firms in the marine industry.

In the current climate of rising oil prices and pressures to reduce carbon footprints, fleet operators are increasingly focused on identifying ways to reduce fuel and energy use, as well as to demonstrate their environmental credentials to customers and stakeholders.

Chris Huxley-Reynard, Managing Director, Reygar commented: “As an industry, we’re all hugely aware of the importance of moving towards more sustainable, and less carbon intensive operations. But we can only make positive changes if we truly understand at a really granular level the emissions and sustainability challenges across our businesses.

“That’s why we chose to collaborate with Cedar to offer what we think will be a really valuable and innovative service to customers; combining our skills in data gathering and processing, with Cedar’s broad experience of carbon monitoring and naval architecture insight.”

The integrated subscription service utilises measured fuel consumption and emissions data from Reygar’s industry-leading BareFLEET remote monitoring product, in combination with additional information gathered by Cedar Marine on other aspects of a customer’s operations, for a holistic and encompassing overview of the business-wide carbon emissions profile.

This provides the customer with a comprehensive and accurate picture of their energy and fuel use and emissions based largely on measured data, providing a full and accurate picture of carbon liabilities across operations.

Cedar Marine specialises in assessing the complete energy, fuel and emissions impact of a customer’s entire business operations. The company’s Carbon Management Plan allows the customer to establish benchmarks, continuously assess their performance, and demonstrate improvements over time.

Included in the service, and drawing on the naval architecture experience of its founding team, Cedar Marine provides insight into specific measures a customer can take to reduce their fuel/energy costs and emissions, based on the measured vessel performance data supplied by BareFLEET in line with architectural and operational characteristics for each vessel in the customer’s fleet.

Such an approach marries big data with human experience and insight, offering customers actionable choices with quantified benefits based on solid and directly relevant data, to improve their performance.

Owen Preece, Managing Director, Cedar Marine commented: “Since vessel fuel burn is the major contributor to maritime emissions, combining accurate BareFLEET fuel, speed and operational data with our understanding of the broader emissions profile from other aspects of customers’ business operations allows us to offer the best possible combination of data and insight to drive real operational evolution and change across our customer base.”

“As an industry, we’re all hugely aware of the importance of moving towards more sustainable, and less carbon intensive operations. But we can only make positive changes if we truly understand at a really granular level the emissions and sustainability challenges across our businesses”

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Eminox releases latest white paper on emissions regulations in the global shipping industry

Aleading designer and manufacturer of emissions technologies and solutions has released its latest white paper which tackles the challenges of compliance and emissions regulations in the global shipping industry.

Exploring the latest regulations and legislation and the myriad of implications for the global shipping industry, the paper supports all sectors to understand what is required and how compliance can be achieved.

“This is perhaps one of the most ambiguous sectors for emissions requirements, and often feels counterintuitive against the backdrop of driving the highest standards possible across all geographical regions,” said Dr David Phillips, Engineering Director, Eminox. “Raising awareness of current legislation, presenting solutions to achieve compliance, and tackling the future regulations head-on will help everyone, from engine manufacturers and shipbuilders to operators and compliance bodies, understand how we can help the marine industry become a leader in tackling global emissions.”

With over 90% of world trade transported by sea, it is not surprising the emissions generated by the shipping industry makes it one of the world’s largest producers of air pollution.

“Reducing marine emissions remains a global focus, and it is essential that as an industry we deliver solutions which will enable us to meet the IMO target of 50% reduction in GHG by 2050,” said Dr Phillips. “To achieve this we need stronger legislation, applicable to both the original installation and retrofit of marine vessels, to accelerate emissions reduction. Importantly, there is also an urgent need for the harmonisation of global marine legislation.

“Because Eminox understands the need for systems which are compact, easily controlled, and compatible with a range of marine and stationary/power generation engines, we can use our expertise, global understanding and manufacturing capabilities to deliver future proofed compliance.”

To access the full white paper visit: https://eminox.com/downloads/

Master Boat Builders to construct new tugboat for Suderman & Young Towing Company

Master Boat Builders has signed a contract to build a new tugboat in its Coden, Alabama yard for Suderman & Young Towing Company of Houston, Texas. Master Boat Builders currently has three tugs under construction of a different design for Suderman & Young.

“We at Master Boat Builders take pride in our work and are heartened by this vote of confidence from the team at Suderman & Young,” said Garrett Rice, President of Master Boat Builders. “Suderman & Young is one of the premiere tugboat operators in the United States and we are excited to continue partnering with them to provide another quality tugboat to serve the western Gulf Coast ports.”

Naval architect and marine engineering firm Robert Allan Ltd designed the tugboat, which will meet United States Coast Guard Sub-M regulations and will be classed through the American Bureau of Shipping.

The tugboat will have an overall length of 30m, a beam of 13m and produce a bollard pull of over 80 metric tonnes. The vessel will feature two Caterpillar main engines (3516E), EPA Tier 4 certified and each producing 3500 HP, along with two Schottel Z-Drive thrusters (SRP 510FP), and a Markey Machinery Company bow winch (DEPSF48-100).

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Falmouth Harbour invites UK tenders to build “greenest, most efficient” £1m+ pilot boat

Falmouth Harbour (FH) is inviting boat builders around the UK to tender for the construction of a clean, green, fuel-efficient pilot vessel to join a fleet operating 24/7, 365 days a year and completing more than 1,000 boardings and landings per year within the Falmouth Pilotage Area.

Falmouth Harbour aims to appoint a builder in October with a view to having the new, 16–18m dedicated coded pilot vessel operational in 2024.

Falmouth Harbour is looking to the UK’s network of builders to receive proposals which make full use of modern advances in fuel-saving technology, safety and crew welfare. The value of the project is expected to be between £1.1 to £1.4 million and will take up to three years to complete. When in commission the new vessel will be one of the UK’s greenest and most efficient vessels of its type.

“This long-awaited procurement represents a very exciting time for us as an organisation,” said Falmouth Harbour CEO Miles Carden. “The new vessel will be a significant step forward in technology, fuel efficiency and sustainability and will modernise Falmouth Harbour’s pilotage service, securing safe and efficient operations for the future benefit of the port and its many stakeholders.

“This is a considerable investment in the future of our harbour and potentially allows us to modernise our operations so we are absolutely fit for purpose and can realise future opportunities around technologies such as Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW). This is a generational investment of over £1 million in our future sustainable operations.”

Falmouth Harbour’s two current all-weather coded pilot boats operated by the Pilot Service are Arrow, a 16.7m Halmatic built modern pilot vessel built in 2006, and the LK Mitchell, a 17.5m Nelson 56 pilot vessel. A twoboat operation, with the vessels operated in rotation, is essential to ensure complete coverage of the area and allow for vessel downtime and maintenance.

The new vessel will replace the LK Mitchell which was built in 1978 and has been operating as a Falmouth pilot boat ever since.

“At 44 years old, LK Mitchell is fast approaching a point where she is no longer economically viable to operate to the standards required of a 24/7 operation in Falmouth,” said Mr Carden. “She has been a loyal servant to our port but the time to replace her has come. We will outline this vessel’s future in the coming months and we hope to redeploy her in a second, less demanding commercial life.”

Falmouth Pilot Services (FPS) is a service arm of Falmouth Harbour Commissioners and Falmouth Harbour is the pilotage authority for the Falmouth Pilotage Area which spans from Black Head to the Dodman including Falmouth Bay, the Helford and Percuil rivers, the Carrick Roads and the River Fal.

FPS provides pilotage services to Falmouth Dock operators A&P Falmouth and Cornwall Council which runs the Ports of Truro and Penryn under an agency agreement. Falmouth Pilot Services has the remit to supply safe and efficient pilotage for this whole area on behalf of the many businesses and organisations that operate within it. The service operates 24/7 and 365 days a year across the full weather range in which shipping movements can take place within the area.

Photo credit: Falmouth Harbour

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Austal USA awarded contract option for two additional towing, salvage and rescue ships for the United States Navy

Austal USA has been awarded a $156 million fixed-price incentive contract option from the United States Navy for the construction of two Navajo-class Towing, Salvage, and Rescue Ships (T-ATS 13 and 14).

With the award, the company is now under contract for four TATS, having received awards for T-ATS 11 and 12 in October 2021.

Austal Limited CEO Paddy Gregg said the latest contract award reaffirmed the United States Navy’s great confidence in Austal USA’s capabilities as a steel shipbuilder, following the recent start of construction on T-ATS 11.

“It’s a great sign of confidence by the Navy, in the Austal USA team’s ability to deliver both steel and aluminium ships simultaneously, that they have awarded a contract for another two vessels.

“Congratulations to the Austal USA team on yet another multiple steel vessel contract, which will go even further to demonstrate the company’s diverse capabilities, in aluminium and steel.”

T-ATS is an ocean-going tug, salvage, and rescue ship designed to support the United States Navy’s fleet operations, with a multimission common hull platform capable of towing heavy ships. The ships are capable of supporting a variety of missions, including oil spill response, humanitarian assistance, search and rescue and surveillance.

Austal USA will utilise its proven ship manufacturing processes and innovative methods that incorporate lean manufacturing principles, modular construction, and moving assembly lines, all housed under the company’s state-of-the-art enclosed steel production facility. This unique production capability positions Austal USA to meet the ongoing, growing demands of both the Navy and Coast Guard.

Construction on T-ATS 13 and 14 will commence in the second half of 2023 and first half of 2024; with delivery planned for the second half of 2025 and first half of 2026, respectively.

In addition to T-ATS, Austal USA is currently constructing the United States Navy’s Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship and Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport and is under contract for the construction of a 211 metre steel Auxiliary Floating Drydock Medium. The company was also recently awarded a contract for up to 11 steel Offshore Patrol Cutters for the United States Coast Guard, worth up to US $3.3 billion.