National Maritime Development Group News
SOCSEA24, the 4th Society and the Sea Conference is taking a significant step forward in championing gender equality within the maritime industry. Female representation The conference organisers – National Maritime and the University of Greenwich – have announced that women in maritime leadership roles will make up 41.2% of the speakers and 50% of the moderators at 2024's SOCSEA event. This marks a significant 9% increase in female representation compared to the conference’s...
National Maritime, in partnership with the University of Greenwich, will host a two-day conference and exhibition exploring sustainable practices and business opportunities in the maritime realm. The 4th Society & the Sea International Conference 2024 will take place on the 9th and 10th of September 2024 in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Maritime Greenwich. The theme of the conference is ‘To be truly blue, we must also think green: developing a sustainable blue economy needs b...
Previous suggestions had put the cost of the project at €200m but that has now been increased. The Irish Government has increased the budget for a new naval ship, which will be the largest in the State’s history, to €300m. Last week the Journal reported that the Department of Defence was set to release documents associated with the tender process for the new Multi-Role Vessel (MRV) which will allow the Irish Naval Service respond to large-scale humanitarian crises. Large-scale...
The purchase of the Irish Navy’s biggest ship in its history, which will respond to humanitarian crisis, is set to move a step forward as information documents are to be issued across an EU platform. The project has been in planning in the Department of Defence for many years, but stepped up a gear with the recent Commission on the Defence Forces. Sources have said the ship is anticipated to have a helicopter landing area on board, as well as other possible facilities, such as a roll-on-r...
Firms developing three Fleet Solid Support ships for Royal Fleet Auxiliary have been urged to say how many British jobs will be created – and how much work carried out in the UK The Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions has demanded to see plans outlining how UK workers and firms will benefit from the deal. The CSEU’s maritime chairman Matthew Roberts, a GMB union national officer, has written to Harland & Wolff, ship designers BMT and Madrid-based Navantia, S.A.,...
Plans to build a world class maritime centre of excellence, focused on innovation, engineering, R&D, entrepreneurship, and training at the heart of Peel L&P’s Wirral Waters, have been put on hold as Wirral Council says no viable plans to fund it have been brought forward. A report has asked Councillors at a Policy and Resources committee meeting on January 17 to remove the project from its regeneration programme ‘until such time as a viable scheme is brought forward for cons...
Construction has begun on a new Applied Shipbuilding Academy at BAE Systems’ Scotstoun shipyard on the banks of the River Clyde in Glasgow. The Academy will comprise of a Modern Trade Hall and a Flexible Learning Hub. The Academy will support the development of the entire workforce, from apprentices to senior leaders, and forms part of the Company’s ongoing commitment to develop future talent. New Applied Shipbuilding Academy in Glasgow A historic industrial building will be retro...
The UK government announces its support for measures designed to protect the world’s ocean and improve the conservation of marine biodiversity. Ahead of International Seabed Authority (ISA) negotiations and a month ahead of COP28, the UK government has announced its support for a moratorium on the granting of exploitation licences for deep sea mining projects – which involve the extraction of minerals such as precious metals, copper and cobalt – by the ISA. Sufficient scienti...
A new £100,000 Challenge Fund competition has opened for Belfast’s digital and creative companies, aimed at animating the city’s Maritime Mile. Developed by Belfast City Council’s City Innovation Office, in partnership with the Maritime Belfast Trust, the fund is part of the Belfast HUB-IN (Hub of Innovation) project. HUB-IN HUB-IN is all about exploring how digital innovation can help to sustain, enhance, and preserve the rich and unique heritage along Belfast’s...
Swedish firm ScanOcean and Finnish oil refining and marketing company Neste Oyi have unveiled a new lower-emission DMA Gasoil for the shipping sector. Lower-emissions DMA The new lower-emissions DMA is produced by adding renewable raw material into the conventional refining process and by using mass-balance the fuel attains high GHG emissions reducing benefits while maintaining the quality and specifications of the fuel to ISO 8217. The fuel is certified according to ISCC Plus. According to...
Dutch energy storage systems provider EST-Floattech-Energy Storage Solutions is contracted to provide battery systems for the world’s first fully electric carbon-neutral event vessel, the Oceandiva London, which enters service on the River Thames later in 2023 or early 2024. Green Orca system The 86 meters long and 17 metres wide vessel batteries are charged by both green fast-charging shore power and onboard solar panels, with a biofuel generator as a backup for longer excursions.&nbs...
Energy market analytics company - Aurora says that Britain is not on track to meet the UK government’s renewables targets without innovation. Aurora’s report echoes recent analysis from the Climate Change Committee, whose Chair - Lord Deben said that ‘the government is failing in much of its implementation’ of its targets. The Public Accounts Committee also recently said it is ‘sceptical’ over whether expansion plans for nuclear, solar and wind is credible....
The UK government announced a series of steps for the coming years to expand its Emission Trading Scheme, including for the first time bringing domestic shipping into the program. Experts highlight that it is another example of individual countries taking steps to reduce emissions in the lack of international agreements for industries, such as shipping that reach beyond domestic borders. The announcement that shipping will be required to participate in the program starting in 2026 comes as the...
The UK’s future Type 26 frigates are being manufactured by BAE Systems’ site in Govan, Scotland, but also incorporate blocks built from across the country. The Type 26 programme will deliver a total of eight anti-submarine warfare frigates to the Royal Navy, which will replace, in part, the ageing Type 23 fleet. UK’s Type 26 frigates The Type 26 will be comparable in size to the Type 45 air defence destroyers currently in service Expected to displace around 7,000 tonnes at...
Waters around the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland have been classified as experiencing a category 4 (extreme) marine heatwave, as the North Atlantic Ocean continues to see extraordinary warmth. Ocean waters around the UK and Ireland are in the grip of one of the most severe marine heatwaves on Earth at the moment, with meteorologists warning temperatures are up to 4°C above normal for the time of year in some places. North Atlantic Ocean sees record-breaking temperatures Much of the heat...
A consortium led by zero-emission vessel provider - ACUA Ocean in partnership with zero-emission infrastructure provider and National Maritime UK Marine Hydrogen Working Group partner - Unitrove has won a multi-million pound UK government grant in a major push to decarbonise the maritime sector. The ‘Hydrogen Innovation – Future Infrastructure & Vessel Evaluation and Demonstration (HI-FIVED)’ consortium will receive over £3.8 million of funding to build and showcase...
DP World London Gateway alone reported a 14% rise in volumes to 2,053,000 TEU – the first time it has ever exceeded two million units in a year, consolidating its position as Britain’s second biggest container terminal. Together with Southampton, the two terminals in the United Kingdom (UK) handled a record 3,850,000 TEU, when compared with 3,675,000 TEU in 2021. Boost growth and support businesses in the UK Within a decade, London Gateway is likely to be handling up to 30% of the...
Cammell Laird Shiprepairers & Shipbuilders Limited (Cammell Laird) is reporting an annual loss for the fifth year in a row, but is now showing signs of emerging from ‘some of the most challenging times in the group’s history’. That was how Chief Executive - David McGinley described 2020 and 2021 after the Birkenhead shipyard took a significant financial hit from the building of the £200 million polar research vessel - RRS Sir David Attenborough. Cammell Laird’...
National Maritime Development Group announced the Cumbria County Council are seeking to award a tender for the design, build, launch, installation, commissioning, and acceptance of the new ferry, and associated elements. The land-locked nature of Lake Windermere introduces several requirements and constraints specific to the new ferry. Tender for the design and build of new ferry The new ferry is to have increased car capacity, increased operating capability, improved passenger facilities and...
A joint venture between Kier Group and Royal BAM Group NV will now refurbish Devonport’s 10 Dock, the first part of a £2bn overhaul of facilities at the UK’s largest dockyard. Babcock International Group Plc, which operates the yard, appointed Kier BAM Joint Venture (KBJV) after previously announcing a series of major infrastructure projects at Devonport. Major infrastructure projects During the next 10 years, new facilities will be developed at the site to meet the evolving...
Hull City Council has published a decision record that will allow the council to open a tender to construct a permanent wet dock for the Spurn Lightship. To berth the Spurn Lightship in Hull Marina for many visitors to enjoy, Hull City Council requires the services of a specialist contractor to deliver a wet berth on the northwest corner of Hull Marina, close to the Holiday Inn and Murdoch’s Connection. New dock A successful funding bid from National Highways for £1,044,725...
The UK Ministry of Defence has once again confirmed that the Fleet Solid Support ships will, for the most part, be British built. Jeremy Quin, Minister for Defence Procurement, said: “For the purposes of procurement the Fleet Solid Support ships are considered to be warships. This has significance in the procurement route we choose to adopt and we are not pursuing an international competition." "This does not preclude international bidders from participating if they can meet the UK&rsqu...
SMEs who make up 99.8 percent of all businesses in the UK are invited to meet this week with UK government Trade teams at Seawork 2022. SME maritime network Vessel builders and marine technology and services companies are invited to join the maritime teams at stand G39, to find out how the Department for International Trade (DIT), UK Export Finance, and the National Shipbuilding Office can help to develop and win business in the UK and overseas. National Maritime is the UK’s largest SME...
As plans emerge that Maritime UK (MUK) is to support several potential stakeholders to establish a South East regional cluster organisation reportedly led by Dieter Jaenicke, Viking Maritime Group, they do welcome the continued emergence of MUK as a single leadership association for the maritime sector, as it strives to act as a conduit for bringing coherent sector support and reduced bureaucracy to add weight to arguments for infrastructure improvements and destination making, to stimulate econ...
JDR Cable Systems, the subsea cable, and umbilical supplier and servicer, part of the TFK Group, has reached a final agreement under the UK government’s Offshore Wind Manufacturing Scheme (OWMIS) on financial support for its new state-of-the-art subsea cable manufacturing facility in Cambois, near Blyth, Northumberland. The agreement means JDR is on track to begin construction in summer 2022, with a planned opening in 2024. The new £130m UK Export Finance (U...
Great to have worked with the team at Cory to help identify UK partners and shipyards that could best support their significant investment and commitment to the UK. In 2021, National Maritime engaged with Cory regarding the building of barges and solid steel waste containers and was asked to facilitate introductions via the UK maritime network. Their purpose was to promote UK shipyard capabilities and help retain this work for UK yards. Awarded contract Following an EOI by John Wood...
Subsea 7 has announced that Seaway 7 ASA has been selected by Seagreen 1A Limited as a preferred supplier for the Seagreen 1A offshore wind project, located offshore Scotland, in the United Kingdom (UK). Seagreen 1A lies adjacent to the existing Seagreen project that Seaway 7 is currently progressing and represents approximately 500 MW of additional renewable energy generation capacity. Scope of work Seaway 7’s scope of work is under final negotiation and may include the full engineerin...