The Damen shipyard at Amsterdam has been contracted to convert the 7-year-old redundant platform supply vessel World Opal, built in 2013 for the World Wide Group, into the fish farm supply ship Eidsvaag Opal for a new joint venture established between Norway’s Eidsvaag and Skretting groups. Photo courtesy of Eidsvaag Gro
The Maltese-flagged chemical tanker Blue Star, which ran aground last November on the Spanish coast near Corunna, is to be scrapped despite being successfully re-floated by SMIT Salvage. To have originally been towed to Spain’s Fene shipyard for repairs it was found that underwater hull damage to the 9,438-dwt vessel was more extensive than thought and the tug VB Hispania has been contracted to tow the vessel to Turkey for demolition.
After a full winter of reduced service because of ferry breakdowns Alaska lawmakers approved $66.7 million for the Alaska Marine Highway System in April that is expected to keep the System operational through the year and provide at least one ferry as a relief vessel if another breaks down. The budget also adds $19 million for repairing the ferry Aurora, currently laid up, and for adding crew quarters to one of the system’s two newer ferries, either Hubbard or Tazlina, to extend the vessel’s operating range. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 is impacting shipyard work and this is expected to delay the return-to-service of a number of vessels, including Columbia, Kennicott and Tustumena, which are now not expected to resume service until later this month.
Norwegian ferry operator Brevik Fergeselskap has ordered an all-electric passenger/vehicle ferry from Holland Shipyards Group for delivery before the end of this year. The 42-meter by 11-meter double-ender, to have 1,300 kWh of battery power, will be capable of transporting 98 passengers and 16 vehicles across the waters of Eidangerfjorden to connect the settlements of Brevik, Sandøya and Bjørkøya
Russia has encountered several delays in its project 22220 nuclear icebreaker program involving LK-60 series ships. In late February the lead vessel of the series, the 33,540-ton displacement Artika, suffered the loss of an electric motor on its right shaft due to a short circuit during sea trials. If the motor requires replacement it will seriously affect the delivery schedule for the ship, which was expected to be handed over to operator FSUE Rosatomflot this summer. At the same time, the Baltiysky Zavod shipyard has been experiencing problems with the third icebreaker of the series, Ural, because of the late delivery of its turbines by manufacturer KirovEnergoMash. The 173-meter by 34-meter vessel was laid down in mid-2016 and launched in mid-2019 but may not be delivered until late 2022. A…
Finland’s Helsinki Shipyard expects to deliver two Arctic-capable cruise ships to the Russian river cruise company Vodohod by 2021 and 2022. The twin luxury vessels will measure 113-meterd by 20.2-meters and will be finished to Russia’s PC5 ice class standards. They are intended to operate both in the Arctic and Antarctic but will also be capable of operating in tropical waters during the spring and fall seasons.
Canadian shipbuilder Davie, based in Quebec, has pre-qualified to become the third strategic partner, along with Irving Shipbuilding and Seaspan Shipyards, in Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) and is expected to build six icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard. Davie is Canada’s largest and highest capacity shipbuilder but was disqualified from the original selection process for the NSS in 2011 because it was undergoing a financial restructuring at the time. Last year the Canadian government announced that it would invest C$15.7 billion to renew the Canadian Coast Guard’s fleet with up to 16 multi-purpose vessels to be built by Seaspan and two new Arctic and offshore patrol ships to be completed by Irving.
Canada’s Algoma Central Corporation, which operates the largest fleet of dry and liquid bulk carriers operating on the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Waterway, has reached an agreement with Croatia’s 3Maj shipyard under which Algoma will acquire a new Equinox Class 650-foot self-unloading bulk carrier from the yard after the ship is completed in the third quarter of this year. The vessel in question is one of two ordered by Algoma but left only partially completed when the 3Maj yard entered an extended period of financial difficulties in 2017. The first ship of the series, Algoma Innovator, was delivered last year but Algoma then cancelled the contract for the second vessel as a result of the shipyard’s difficulties. Under the most recent agreement 3Maj will complete the self-unloader with financing…
By Peter Marsh Since Harley Marine became the first adopter of Tier 4 marine engines of more than 600 kW (805 hp) in 2017, the towboat industry on the West Coast has fallen behind the rest of the US as operators on the Gulf and East Coasts have been specifying high-speed engines from Caterpillar with SCR or medium speed from GE with Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) only. However, 2020 looks like the year when Northwest yards finally begin installing Tier 4’s as standard equipment. Nichols Brothers Boat Builders has the distinction of being the first Northwest yard to fit MTU 4000 Tier 4’s to tugs in a major order from Foss for a minimum of four vessels to a Jensen Maritime Consultants design. These 100-foot by 40-foot tractor tugs will…
Croatia’s Brodosplit shipyard has confirmed that it is continuing construction of a new polar expedition cruise ship for Seattle-based Quark Expeditions, with the 128-meter by 21.5-meter Ultramarine expected to be delivered later this year. The 13,500-gt vessel will be able to accommodate up to 200 passengers and will feature a wide array of adventure options, including helicopters, kayaks and Zodiacs.
