Work Boat World

OFFSHORE ACCOUNTS: "Baird Maritime has pressed for New Zealand to invest in an ETV, and the sinking of 'Manawanui' is another reminder of why having a versatile tug with pollution response capabilities would be extremely useful for both New Zealand and the wider South Pacific region. "Whilst most of the oil on the ship will be marine diesel, this is no consolation to the people of Tonga, and the lack of a platform from which to conduct pollution response operations, diving, de-oiling, and ROV work is stark. "About a year before our 'Cook Strait checkmate' piece appeared in early May 2024 calling for public funding for an ETV in New Zealand, the Singapore-registered 5,028TEU containership 'Shiling' had broken down as it was heading into the Tasman Sea after departing from Wellington. 'Shiling' blacked out and issued a Mayday distress call. The boxship was taken under emergency tow by the 201-tonne bollard pull anchor handler 'Skandi Emerald', which fortuitously happened to be in the vicinity working on an offshore project." Full article link in comments.

VESSEL REVIEW: Baffin Fisheries, a company owned jointly by Inuit Hunters and Trappers Associations in five Qikiqtani region (Baffin Island) communities in northern Canada, recently took delivery of a new large stern trawler built to a design by Norwegian naval architecture firm Skipsteknisk. Baffin Fisheries said 'Inuksuk II' is one of the largest Canadian-owned fishing vessels with an LOA of 79.85 metres (262 feet), a moulded beam of 18 metres (59 feet), a depth of 7.95 metres (26.1 feet), and a gross tonnage of 5,400. The vessel is designed for polar and North Atlantic waters including NEAFAC, NAFO and ICES regulatory areas, and its initial deployment will be in the Eastern Arctic, harvesting shrimp and Greenland halibut (turbot). The vessel is fitted with a processing and freezing plant with two production lines for frozen-at-sea shrimp and groundfish. The modern factory includes two large automated plate freezers, three shrimp IQF tunnel freezers, a sorting robot, a shrimp grader, a batch cooking line, and an automated palletising system to complement the twin-trawl capabilities. Full article link in comments.

VESSEL REVIEW: Spain’s Nodosa Shipyard recently handed over a new freezer trawler to Falkland Islands-based Petrel Fishing Company, a company under Spain’s Pescapuerta Group. Named 'Prion', the newbuild was also designed by Nodosa and will be used primarily for squid fishing in the South Atlantic. The trawler has a length of 85 metres (280 feet), a beam of 14 metres (46 feet), and a gross tonnage of 2,500, making it one of the largest vessels to be acquired by Petrel Fishing. An optimised hull form and an inverted bow help enhance efficiency and reduce fuel consumption. Silicone paint was used on the hull for its lower environmental impact and for reducing surface resistance. The factory deck meanwhile boasts an ergonomic layout and semi-automated tray loading and unloading systems for greater efficiency and for reducing the overall need for heavy lifting. Nodosa said that, thanks to the vessel’s innovative and efficient design, it is possible to reduce the number of people required for deck operations. In addition, the crew will work while being better protected against inclement weather, thus minimising the risk of accidents. Full article link in comments.

VESSEL REVIEW: UK-based yacht charter company Cecil Wright and Partners recently added a new vessel to its fleet. 'Extra Time', the second yacht in a new series, was built by Conrad Shipyard of Gdansk, Poland. The design was jointly developed by Diana Yacht Design in the Netherlands and Reymond Langton Design in the UK. The yacht is available for charter in the waters of the Western Mediterranean, and it will spend its first season off the southern coast of France. Up to 10 guests can be accommodated in five staterooms consisting of a master suite (equipped with its own study) and four VIP cabins. There are also four double cabins for eight crewmembers and a captain’s cabin on the bridge. The interior spaces feature panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows that provide unobstructed views of the surrounding seas. The outer decks boast multi-functional zones including a beach club, four lounge zones, a cinema, two bars, two dining zones, and an infinity pool. Full article link in comments.

OFFSHORE ACCOUNTS: "Since the start of Russia?s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Dark Fleet tankers have been involved in 50 incidents, including in the Danish Straits and the Turkish Straits, as well as two serious incidents off Malaysia: the explosion of the Gabon-flagged Aframax 'Pablo' in 2023, and the collision between the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged very large crude carrier (VLCC) 'Ceres I' and the Singapore-flagged product tanker 'Hafnia Nile' earlier this year. "You would think that the possibility of a devastating oil spill might focus the mind of both flag states (who may have more liability than they like to think) and coastal states whose beaches and fisheries could be devastated. So far, the record of enforcement against companies and individuals in the United Kingdom that break the sanctions imposed on Russia has been weak. "Only one British business has been fined by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), despite the agency receiving an additional ￡50 million (US$65 million) in funding in March, and that was a concierge service that was managing a flat for a Russian. In September, OFSI fined Integral Concierge Services ￡15,000 (US$19,600) for having made or received 26 payments that involved a person whose assets had been frozen under the British sanctions against Russia." Full article link in comments.

VESSEL REVIEW: Singapore-based towage operator KST Maritime, a subsidiary of Italy's MedTug, has taken delivery of a new ASD ship handling and escort tug built to a design by Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd (RAL). 'KST Dragon' is the first in a series of two ASD tugs to be built for the same owner. The hull has been optimised for maximum thrust and bollard pull, while maintaining excellent manoeuvring and seakeeping. A half-raised forecastle deck helps to keep the working deck safe and dry, while a gently rounded deck line in plan ensures the tug can safely and easily come alongside and distance itself from an escorted ship at speed. The hull and skeg provide improved manoeuvring and side-stepping capabilities. The hull has been optimised for maximum thrust and bollard pull, while maintaining excellent manoeuvring and seakeeping. A half-raised forecastle deck helps to keep the working deck safe and dry, while a gently rounded deck line in plan ensures the tug can safely and easily come alongside and distance itself from an escorted ship at speed. The characteristic double chine stern unique to RAL designs ensures that the tug can run astern at high speeds and maintain good control, directional stability, and a dry working deck. Full article link in comments.

OPINION: "America’s decline in commercial shipbuilding has been catastrophic. As a US Senate select committee heard earlier this year, in 1975 the United States was the biggest shipbuilder in the world. 'Now we don’t even produce one percent of the world’s large ocean-going vessels', said ranking member Raja Krishnamoorthi. 'For every 359 large container ships China builds, we are building one.' "While Washington worries, China’s domination of commercial shipbuilding accelerates. In the first half of 2024, according to shipbroker BRS, its mainly state-owned and/or subsidised yards booked nearly 75 per cent of all new orders. 'China has maintained its leading position in the global shipbuilding market for the fourteenth consecutive year,' the consultancy reported, citing a shift away from bulk carriers to more complex vessels such as the higher-margin gas carriers that have become particularly strategic in the global supply chain. "Hardly a day goes by that China doesn’t book another fat contract for a commercial vessel, usually from European shipping companies. In just the first week of October, for example, Chinese shipbuilders were variously contracted for up to 12 LNG carriers, four 96-metre-long offshore service vessels, and up to six chemical tankers. In another fairly typical week in April, China bagged all but eight of 36 new contracts, according to Lloyds List, a bible of the industry, that cited orders for seven dry cargo carriers, four containerships, six multi-purpose vessels, one deck cargo carrier, two heavy lift ships, eight gas carriers and eight tankers." Full article link in comments.

VESSEL REVIEW: Russian state-owned marine services provider Rosmorport recently took delivery of a new non-self-propelled cutter suction dredger (CSD) built by Stroyliderplus. 'Nikolay Rusanov' is the lead vessel of the Project FPDG3 series of three dredgers that are designed for use in port and channel waters. Each of the Project FPDG3 dredgers has a steel hull, an LOA of 55 metres (180 feet), a beam of 12.5 metres (41 feet), a maximum draught of only 2.1 metres (6.9 feet), a deadweight tonnage of 503, a minimum dredging depth of three metres (9.8 feet), and a maximum dredging depth of 15 metres (49 feet). The dredging equipment consists of a pump with a dedicated 1,820kW motor, a 500kW cutter, and suction and discharge pipes each with a diameter of 800 mm. The deployment of the dredger is part of a broader initiative of increasing the depth of the Caspian Sea, which had dropped by nearly 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) from 2006 to 2024. The CSD will help restore ideal depths in these critical waters. Full article link in comments.

NAVAL GAZING: "Naval involvement actually began before widespread fighting commenced, with Iran-backed militia group Hezbollah launching rocket and drone attacks earlier this month on the Israeli port and naval base at Haifa, while an Israeli Navy (IN) Sa’ar 6 corvette reputedly downed an incoming cruise missile over the Mediterranean. "Subsequently, US Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyers have joined IN warships in protecting Israel against attack drones and cruise missiles launched from Lebanon and Yemen. Furthermore, the Americans have for some weeks been maintaining a strong naval presence in the eastern Mediterranean with a prime role of deterring Iran and other external actors from attempting to reap advantage from the current regional instability. "Weapons deployed by the US Navy to defend merchant shipping in the region have included the ultra-high-performance SM-3 missile, which, after launch, climbs out the earth’s atmosphere, before re-entering at very high speed to shoot down the incoming projectile." Full article link in comments.

VESSEL REVIEW: Louisiana-based Metal Shark Boats has handed over the first of two response boats ordered by the Anne Arundel County Fire Department (AACoFD) based out of Annapolis, Maryland. Designed by Metal Shark’s in-house engineering team and built at the company’s Franklin, Louisiana shipyard, the new monohull fireboat measures 50 by 16 feet (15 by 4.9 metres) and features a spacious, climate-controlled pilothouse delivering significantly enhanced visibility. Metal Shark’s signature “pillarless glass” with reverse-raked windshield reduces blind spots compared to conventional pilothouse fireboats with smaller, framed windows. From the fire control station at the port helm, flow is directed as desired via electronically-actuated slow-close valves with manual backup. The vessel is also equipped with a remote-operated electric rooftop monitor, two aft-mounted monitors, two aft dual handline outlets, and two hydrant outlets. Dual 55-gallon (210-litre) reservoirs carry aqueous film-forming foam. Full article link in comments.