Surveillance & Maritime News for February 2024

NIBCO INC. has announced the promotion of Lisa Lyon to Webstone general manager, with responsibility for overseeing all aspects of operations for the Webstone business unit of NIBCO. “Lisa has been instrumental in aggressively expanding the Webstone product portfolio since NIBCO acquired the company,” said Ashley Martin, president and COO, NIBCO. “She demonstrates great passion and knowledge for the industry, and we are confident that she will meet and exceed the goals establi...

P&I Club’s head of external affairs will discuss major events with pioneering experts in the weekly Alongside: Future Thinking podcast series. Pioneering P&I Club NorthStandard is launching a weekly podcast mini-series that will discuss the most pressing current geopolitical issues for the maritime industry. Key geopolitical developments NorthStandard Head of External Affairs, Mike Salthouse, will be hosting Alongside: Future Thinking, joined by experts from across the shipping...

ClassNK has granted its Innovation Endorsement for Products & Solutions to the Digital Learning Management System (Ver.2) developed by MarinePALS, a unit of Maritime Knowledge Ltd. Digital Learning Management System is an education and training suite of micro-learning videos, gaming apps for learning and virtual reality programs, and mentoring online. Functions of management system ClassNK has verified the functions of the Digital Learning Management System. A comprehensive digital le...

Peel Ports Logistics has signed a deal to become renewable energy specialist Drax’s new shipping agency service provider for vessels importing biomass into Liverpool. The leading shipping and freight forwarder will support the arrival of all Drax’s ships from locations such as North America into the Port of Liverpool’s £100m biomass terminal. The renewable fuel is then transported to Drax Power Station, near Selby in North Yorkshire, the UK’s single largest genera...

The year 2024 marks a milestone in the acceleration of digitalisation in shipping – the mandatory ‘Maritime Single Window’. The requirement under the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL) requires Governments to use a single digital platform or ‘Maritime Single Window’ to share and exchange information with ships when they call at ports, since 1 January 2024. This will streamline procedures to clear the arrival, stay and departure of s...

As of 1 March, Hanna Stelzel will take on the role of Director Containers within the Commercial Department of the Port of Rotterdam Authority and is responsible for all activities within the container chain at sea, in the port and in the hinterland. Hanna Stelzel is the successor to Hans Nagtegaal. Stelzel has a background in the German automotive industry, logistics and digitalisation. She has worked at the Port of Rotterdam Authority since 2018 and has held various positions in which she made...

Huge, vaguely alien in appearance, and rarely seen, large antennas made by Viasat quietly fill a vital purpose for people and operations around the world linking them to satellites that provide internet service. Viasat is one of the very few companies that make 9.1- and 13.5-metre antennas for satellite gateways.  Antenna offering Designed for the latest high-capacity Ka-band satellites, the antenna systems offer broadband support to deliver high-speed connections for residential, commer...

Viasat and TrellisWare will promote their new collaborative approach at the Military Communications and Information Systems (MilCIS) conference and expo in Canberra, Australia, between Nov. 15-17, 2022. The companies first announced this strategic collaboration and vision for a holistic offering during the Oct. 4 Land Forces exhibition. Tactical communications solutions Together, Viasat and TrellisWare aim to offer the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) &...

In rural Hidalgo, Mexico deep in the Sierra Madre mountains is a community rich in indigenous culture, and biological and linguistic diversity, but largely disconnected from the rest of the world. PSYDEH Recently, Viasat donated internet services, solar units, and more than 40 laptops to PSYDEH (see-day), a non-governmental organisation working to educate and empower marginalised indigenous women to lead social change in the region. With the boost that comes from Viasat’s technology, PS...

Viasat recently received recognition from two organisations as a great place for veterans to work. It was selected for the 2022 HIRE Vets Gold Medallion Award, and earned a spot on the 2022 Military Times Best for Vets: Employers list. The HIRE Vets Medallion Award is the only federal-level veterans’ employment award that recognises an organisation’s commitment to veteran hiring, retention, and professional development. Comprehensive annual ranking The Military Times describes&nbs...

On March 30th, 2022, SBM Offshore launched its new floating wind energy solution, Float4WindTM. Float4WindTM is the second generation of SBM Offshore’s innovative offshore wind floater technology, a key aspect of the Company’s long-term strategy to support the energy transition. Tension Leg Platform (TLP) design The new and improved version of the Tension Leg Platform (TLP) design, a technology historically utilised in traditional oil & gas production, is ideal for harnessing...

SBM Offshore is pleased to announce that FPSO Liza Unity has produced its first oil as of February 11, 2022, and is formally on hire. The FPSO Liza Unity is the first unit with a design based on SBM Offshore’s industry-pioneering Fast4Ward® programme which incorporates the Company’s new build, multi-purpose floater hull combined with several standardised topside modules. Subsidiary of CNOOC Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds a 30 percent interest and CNOOC Petroleum...

SBM Offshore is pleased to announce the proposed appointment of Øivind Tangen as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and member of its Management Board. Øivind Tangen (1973, Norwegian) has been working for the Company for 19 years and has a wealth of experience in engineering and operational roles, as well as in strategy and project execution. He is currently a Managing Director of the Company, responsible for SBM Offshore’s Lease and Operate segment, which includes the Company&rs...

SBM Offshore is pleased to announce that it has secured a US$620 million bridge loan facility for the financing of the construction of FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão. The FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão will be deployed at the Mero field in the Santos Basin offshore Brazil. Mero is a project under Libra Consortium responsibility, in which Petrobras is the operator with 40 percent and with the following partners: Shell Brasil with 20 percent, TotalEnergies with 20 percent, CNODC...

SBM Offshore is pleased to announce it has signed contracts with Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) for the 22.5 years lease and operation of FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão. These contracts follow the signing of the binding Letter of Intent as announced on August 3, 2021. FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão will be deployed at the Mero field in the Santos Basin offshore Brazil, approximately 160 kilometres from Arraial do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro state. Fast4Ward® program Mero is a...

SBM Offshore is pleased to announce it has been awarded contracts to perform Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) for a Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading vessel (FPSO) for the Yellowtail development project. The FEED contract award triggers the initial release of funds by ExxonMobil’s subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) to begin FEED activities and secure a Fast4Ward® hull. Construct, install, and lease FPSO Following FEED and subject to g...

SBM Offshore is pleased to announce that during the Annual General Meeting to be held on April 6, 2022 (AGM) it will be proposed to appoint Hilary Mercer as member of the Supervisory Board as per that date. In the interim, Hilary Mercer will act as an advisor to the Supervisory Board. Hilary Mercer Hilary Mercer is a Senior Vice President in Shell Chemicals and leads the Shell Polymers business, which includes its Pennsylvania Chemicals facility in the U.S. Hilary has over 34 years of experi...

SBM Offshore is pleased to announce it has completed the project financing of FPSO Sepetiba for a total of US$1.6 billion, which is the largest project financing in the Company’s history. Project financing The project financing was secured by a consortium of 13 international banks with insurance cover from Export Credit Agencies (ECA): Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) and SACE S.p.A. A letter of intent was received from China Export & Credit Insurance Corpor...

The Liza Unity FPSO started its voyage to Guyana, having departed from the Keppel shipyard in Singapore. The FPSO is expected to arrive in Guyana in late 2021.  Once the FPSO arrives at the Liza field in Guyanese waters, she will be hooked up to the seabed, which will then be followed by the installation of umbilicals and risers, allowing the next phase of operations to start. Liza Unity FPSO The Liza Unity FPSO has also been awarded the SUSTAIN-1 notation by ABS, the Classification Soci...

The hull for the Prosperity FPSO has arrived safely at the Keppel yard in Singapore. The next phase of construction will commence, with the topside modules being integrated into the yard.  Drydock activities Despite the various challenges posed by the ongoing global pandemic, the unit remains on schedule to be completed in 2024.  Drydock activities are scheduled to begin in the 4th quarter of this year, with the installation of major structures that will support the Mooring and...

Stena Line is celebrating the 25th anniversary (12 Nov 2020) of the relocation of its ferry services to Belfast from Larne in 1995.  During this time, the Irish Sea’s ferry company has achieved a number of key milestones including transporting in excess of 33 million passengers, 7 million cars and almost 7 million freight units. When Stena Line established its Belfast operation on 12th November 1995, it operated just three ferries to one port in Scotland.  Today, that service ha...