10e jaargang, nr. 12 dd. 22 Maart 2009 _______________________________________________________ Aankoop/buying, verkoop/sales, nieuwbouw/newbuilding, vernoemingen/renamings, etc. Smit Ebro Launched On Friday 20th of March 2009 the ASD 2810 New generation Damen design tug “Smit Ebro” (IMO 9476393) was launched as the last one in a series of ten at the Damen Shipyard at Galati – Romania with yardnumber 511546. The tug was lifted out the newbuilding sheet by yards gauntry crane. The vessel was set into the water after a small christining ceremonie, by Mrs. Oana Carmen Popa wife of Damens Ships Coordinator Tug & Workboat Mr. Stefan Popa. The next months the tug will be fitted out on the same yard. The tug will be built under Bureau Veritas Class and Dutch Shipping Inspection. Mrs Oana Carmen Popa received flowers and the christining axe from the her husband Stefan Popa as seen on the picture. The “Smit Ebro” is the 23rd ASD 2810 designed vessel for Smit and third with the name Ebro under the Smit flag. (Source & Photo: Hans van der Ster)
From left to right Stefan Popa, Damen ship coordinator; Mrs Oana Carmen Popa; Cristian Severin, Damen Project Manager; Hans van der Ster, Smit Engineering Newbuilding.
Above picture is seen the Smit Ebro after the launching in the Damen Galati Shipyard wet dock
First tug to support tankers in Kola Bay delivered to SCF Group The naming ceremony for Kapitan Avdyukov, a new tug ordered by the Sovcomflot (SCF) Group, took place on 10 March 2009. The vessel forms part of Sovcomflot Group's strategy to develop its terminals management business. This envisages, in particular, providing port, salvage and environmental protection vessels to build up the existing capabilities of Russia's oil trans-shipment ports and improve their quality of service. The ceremony was held at the Sanmar Denizcilik Shipyards in Tuzla (Republic of Turkey). It was attended by the Senior Council of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation, Alexander Yepifanov, the Harbour Master of the Port of Murmansk, Sergey Didenko and representatives of SCF Group's management team. The new vessel is named after Vladimir Avdyukov - a famous Arctic researcher and Russia's outstanding maritime transport manager. Kapitan Avdyukov is the first in a series of three tugs designed to facilitate the safe operation of tankers in Kola Bay. Two similar tugs of 3660 kW and 2460 kW capacity, Kapitan Popov and Kapitan Reutov, will join the Group's fleet in July - August 2009. All the tugs will be registered in the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, with Murmansk as their port of registry. The vessels will all fly the flag of the Russian Federation. Kapitan Avdyukov (project Sanmar 2800E) is a modern, highly manoeuvrable tug of 3660 kW equipped with Azimuth thrusters and with a bollard pull of 60 tonnes. The vessel has been designed to operate in the low temperatures of the Northern latitudes. The tug is equipped with bow and stern towing winches and an external fire fighting system. It is capable of escorting large ocean-going tankers. Kapitan Avdyukov meets all the requirements of the relevant international conventions and the leading classification societies. (Source: PortNews)
SD Reliable Launched by Floating Crane On the Crist Yard at Gdansk in Poland the New design Damen ATD 2909 tug SD Reliable was launched on Thursday 12th March by the floating Crane “Maja” for Serco Denholm Marine Services for their MOD project in the U.K. The tug will be towed to Stellendam – Maaskant Yard for outfitting. The SD Reliable, yard number 545301 is the first in a series of four tugs. The other tugs are the SD Bountiful, yard number 545302; SD Resourceful, yard number 545303 and the SD Dependable, yard number 545304. The tugs have the following specifications: Length 29.19 mtrs; beam 9.98 mtrs and draft 4.80 mtrs. The main propulsion is two Caterpillar 3512B TA-HD engines with a total output of 3.000 kW (4.080 bhp). The two Rolls Royce US205CP Azimuth thrusters developed a bollard pull of 40 tons. The tugs have a fender system above as well as under the waterline for protection of submarine towing operations. (photo’s: Michiel Bos)
Handy Sized OSV for Gulf Resource A new off shore supply vessel has joined the Gulf Resource Management Inc. (GRMI) fleet working the Gulf of Mexico. The 140 by 34 ft M/V Luke Thomas was designed at the owner’s direction with an accommodation space that extends the full 34 ft width of the hull to maximize crew comfort. In addition to a crew of four, the OSV can accommodate up to 16 offshore workers or 22 passengers. The vessels distinctive design is from Sterling Marine LLC and was built by Master Marine LLC in Bayou LaBatre Alabama. The large, 88 by 30 ft, after deck has the capacity to carry 350 tons of cargo while the hull contains tankage for 53,000 gallons of fuel and 113,000 gallons of potable water. A pair of Cummins Tier 2 compliant QSK19-M3 engines each delivering 660 hp into Twin Disc gears provides propulsion power for 12 knots. Two Cummins 6BTA5.9(DM) powered generators supply the vessel with 88 kW of electrical power each. A fifth Cummins engine, a 340 hp QSL9, powers the bow thruster for the ABS DP 1 classed vessel. The Luke Thomas is also fitted with a 1,200 GPM Crane Denning fi-fi system. The Luke Thomas is a virtual sister ship to the owners M/V Andrew Charles. (Source: Marinelink)
Tugs under construction in Antwerp ** J.v.d.Ster – Marcol Production **
At the SKB docks in Antwerp you will find components of the new built Voith Schneider tugs for the Gemeentelijke Sleepbedrijf Antwerpen. The components are assembled in Czech Republic in the pasture land near the Barkmet yard and transported to Antwerp. They will have the numbers 30 – 31 and 32. The tug measures length 29.50 mtrs, beam 11.00 mtrs and a draft of 5.39 mtrs. The bollard pull will be around the 60 tons. (Source & Photo: P.Andriessen)
SMIT acquires Minette Bay Ship Docking Ltd in Canada On Wednesday 18 March 2009, SMIT entered into an agreement to acquire all shares of Minette Bay Ship Docking Ltd in Prince Rupert, Canada. Minette Bay is active in the port of Prince Rupert with three ASD tugs. Minette Bay honorably performed the shipdocking services for Ridley Island Coal Terminal for 25 years. This acquisition enhances SMIT Marine Canada’s current harbour towage operations on the West Coast of Canada. The acquisition is still subject to approval of authorities under the Investment Canada Act. (Source: Smit) The above mentioned three tug operates in Prince Rupert are the S/VM T.P.1 (imo: 7803138 call sign VD3118); S/VM T.P.2 (imo: 7803140 call sign VD3119) and the T.P.3 (imo: 9424998 call sign CFN5087) (see picture left c/o I.T. & S). The first two tugs are built in 1979 at E.S. Fox Ltd. – Niagara Falls; Ontario,Canada. The. 361 grt. sister ships have a length of 30.33 mtrs, beam of 10.97 mtrs and a draft of 3.44 mtrs. The tugs have a one propulsion engine generating 3.560 bhp. and driving twin screws, which give the tug a speed of 11 knots. The T.P.3 Jensen Maritime Consultants (JMC) designed tug is built in 2008, on the Nichols Bros. Boat Builders Inc. – Freeland; Washington, United States under yard number 152. She measures 30.46 mtrs x 12.19 mtrs and a draft of 4.97 mtrs. has Caterpillar 3516C main engines generating a total of 4474 kW at 1,800 rev/min driving Niigata ZP-41 azimuthing thrusters via Niigata reduction gears. The bollard pull is around 70 tons. (red.)
Nizoa on trails The Nizoa was spotted in Turkey during her trails last week. The tug is built on the Sanmar Denizcilik Shipyards - Tuzla; Turkey under yard number 18, for an owner in the Dominican Republic with homeport Santo Domingo. She is built under the Turkish name Ulupinar 04 with a bollard pull of 40 tons. (Photo via Jaap Bijl; Add. Info Bener Bas)
Jupiter handed over ** J.v.d.Ster – Marcol Production **
On Wednesday 18th March the on the Damen Galati Shipyard new built StanTug 2208 Jupiter was handed over to her owners Mandamar Shipping Company Ltd. The tug built under yard number 509626 will sail under de Cyprus flag and in management of Empresa de navigacion Caribe – Havana. The 140 grt. tug develops a bollard pull of 39 tons. Thursday 19th March the tug departed from Galati to her homeport Havana. (Source & photo: Hans van der Ster)
Yard trails for Mustang March 20th the newbuilding tug MUSTANG conducted yard trials, she left the builders Shipyard Kooiman in Zwijndrecht and sailed via the Dordtsche Kil to the Hollandsdiep. The Mustang is built under yard number 181 for G.Bouwman Towage & Salvage – Zierikzee (Photo : Hans Lingbeek)
Jaarbijeenkomst LEKKO LEKKO, de vereniging van belangstellenden voor de sleepvaart, houdt zaterdag 28 maart haar jaarlijkse bijeenkomst in Vlissingen. De maritieme ruilbeurs staat centraal op de bijeenkomst. Het is een ruilbeurs in de breedste betekenis van demaritieme hobby. Maritieme hobbyisten kunnen bij elkaar foto's, gegevens en andere maritieme artikelen uitwisselen. Lekko is aanwezig met haar maritieme shops waarin een grote verscheidenheid aan maritieme boeken en scheepsfoto's. Ook clubartikelen en door rederijen beschikbaar gesteld promotiemateriaal zijn daar te verkrijgen. De Zeeuwse Scheepsmodelbouwvereniging Zuidzuid-West uit Terneuzen en de scheepsmodelbouwvereniging Vlissingen zullen de zaal inrichten met tal van schitterende scheepsmodellen. De Maritieme vereniging World ShipSociety afd. Zeeland Branch zal eveneens haar medewerking verlenen. De nautische bijeenkomst wordt gehouden in het Amadore Grand Hotel Arion aan de Boulevard Banckert 266 in Vlissingen. Op de eerste verdieping in zaal 1 is iedereen welkom om te genieten van een gezellige sfeer, mooie presentaties en een prachtig uitzicht over de Westerschelde. De zaal is open vanaf 10 uur. De bijeenkomst wordt rond 16 uur afgesloten. Toegang is gratis.
Poseidon renamed The by Svendborg Bugser A/S purchased Colombian tug Poseidon, (see S & O News_11) will be renamed Egesund upon arrival in Denmark. The tug will be taken over in Cartagena, Colombia, this week and sail to Denmark under command of a Dutch crew, that has been hired to take the tug to ** J.v.d.Ster – Marcol Production **
Svendborg, Denmark. Svendborg Bugser has purchased the smaller tug Rita Saj, which has been renamed Lillesund. The 1938-built tug is presently laid up in her hometown of Svendborg. The purchase of Egesund is part of a fleet renewal after the sale of Sveasund, built 1969, which was sold to Ukraine and delivered at Ochakov in November 2008. The new Egesund is built in Holland and delivered in December 1994.
Swiber completes sale and leaseback of pipelay barge Swiber Holdings Limited has announced the sale and leaseback of its 248-man capacity pipelay barge Swiber Concorde, which was delivered on 28 February 2009 to Tioman Offshore AS, a specialpurpose vehicle established by RS Platou Finans AS to own Swiber Concorde. The barge is currently preparing for its first pipelay job for an oil major in South East Asia. The completion of sale and leaseback of Swiber Concorde is part of a US$95 million sale and leaseback agreement which was announced in October 2007, which comprised four AHTS and one pipelay barge. Among the four AHTS, two vessels, Swiber Valiant and Swiber Gallant have already been delivered. Funds from Swiber Concorde’s sale and leaseback transaction will reduce the Group’s net debt to equity ratio. Of the 15 vessels under sale and leaseback arrangements, seven are still under construction, and Swiber expects its gearing to fall with the completion and delivery of each vessel. (Source: OSO)
Second Miclyn Express crew boat launched UAE: Nico Craft launched a crew boat named ‘Express 19’ for Miclyn Express Offshore, Singapore, on Sunday March 15. The 23-metre crew boat was designed by Technicraft, New Zealand, but all the engineering and construction work was undertaken by Nico Craft in Fujairah. ‘Express 19’ is a medium speed monohull vessel designed to service vessels within a distance of 50 nautical miles from port of refuge. The boat is constructed using welded seawater resistant aluminium alloy and the hull is a semi-planing type. The overall length is 23.1 metres on a moulded beam of 5.6 metres and a draught of 1.2 mtrs. The crew boat has a deck cargo capacity of 32 square metres and can carry a crew of four and up to twelve passengers at speeds up to 24 knots. The vessel was built under Bureau Veritas certification. (Source: Baird)
Swire Pacific Offshore orders seismic vessel Swire Pacific Offshore has confirmed that it signed a shipbuilding contract towards the end of last year with Singapore Technologies Marine Ltd (ST Marine) to design, construct and build a new seismic survey vessel. Construction is scheduled to commence in May 2009 and delivery is planned for the second half of 2010. Said the company: "Swire Pacific Offshore has done extensive planning for this new build and will be providing the vessel's basic design and major equipment." Built to a length of 68m, the vessel will be capable of towing multiple streamers, built to Ice Class and delivered with a helideck. She will be capable of performing 2D and 3D surveys. "This new vessel is a welcome addition to Swire Pacific Offshore's seismic survey vessel fleet and will greatly assist its renewal and modernization programme. The vessel has secured a long term contract with a leading seismic company," said the Swire. (Source: OSO)
Havila Neptune extended Total E & P Libye has extended a contract with Havila Shipping for for the AHTS Havila Neptune for an eight month period, of which four months are firm. Including the possible extension, the value of the contract extension will be up to NKr 62.0 million. (Source: OSO)
Havila Phoenix charter cancelled Havila Shipping says the charter for its newbuild Havila Phoenix, which was delivered last week, has been cancelled. Said Havila: "The company sent notice of delivery to Phoenix International Inc as charterer and requested the rest of their obligations corresponding to the charter agreement." "The obligations not fulfilled included payment of a mobilisation fee and a guarantee from a bank for an ** J.v.d.Ster – Marcol Production **
amount equal to six months hire, which Phoenix International Inc has rejected. The contract is therefore cancelled." The company said it is working on several possibilities for other contracts for the vessel. (Source: OSO)
Filipinos, Ukrainian taken from vessel off Cameroon Gunmen attacked an oil supply vessel contracted to Royal Dutch Shell off Cameroon near the border with Nigeria on Saturday 14th March, kidnapping one Ukrainian and three Filipino crew, security sources said. Two security contractors said some 30 suspected Nigerian militants in speedboats attacked the MV Sil Tide in the early hours of Saturday morning around 14 km (9 miles) from the coast of Bakassi, on the Nigeria-Cameroon border. "Around five shots were fired. One person was injured and they got the three Filipinos and the Ukrainian," one of the security sources, who asked not to be named, told Reuters. Both sources said the attack happened in Cameroonian waters. One said the vessel was under Cameroonian naval escort. A spokesman for Shell said the vessel was operated by oil services company Tidewater and was under contract to Pecten Cameroon, a joint venture in which Shell owns 80 percent and Cameroon's state oil company owns the rest. "It was attacked early this morning offshore Cameroon in an area where it usually operates. Four people were abducted," Shell spokesman Olav Ljosne said. He gave no further details. The Cameroonian navy could not be reached for comment. Spokesmen for the Nigerian navy and for the military taskforce patrolling Nigeria's oilproducing Niger Delta said they had no immediate details. Attacks on oil vessels are common off the Niger Delta, home to Africa's biggest oil and gas industry. More than 200 foreigners have been kidnapped in the delta over the past three years, most were released unharmed after a ransom payment. But gunmen and pirates in fast launches have increasingly struck beyond Nigerian waters, attacking oil installations, fishing boats, banks and even coastal towns around the Gulf of Guinea -- a region which is the main source of African crude oil exported to the West and to China. Cameroon, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and Benin have all seen such attacks in recent years. Gunmen in motor boats attacked the presidential palace in Equatorial Guinea's island capital Malabo last month. The government said it believed the attackers came from Nigeria. The Bakassi peninsula near where the four foreigners were taken on Saturday has long been a centre of unrest. Bakassi was handed over to Cameroon by Nigeria last year after a decades-long border dispute. Many Nigerian residents opposed the handover and militia groups, believed to be linked to the well-armed gangs of the Niger Delta, sprung up. Two allied militia groups from Bakassi seized 10 mostly French crew members from a vessel operated by oil services firm Bourbon off Cameroon last October. The hostages were released unharmed around 10 days later. (Photo; Archief Hans van der Ster)
Maersk Terrier sold A P Møller - Mærsk has confirmked that on 3 March 2009 in Singapore it delivered the former Maersk Terrier to her new owner, Omega Offshore Logistics. The vessel has been renamed Sea Terrier. (Source: OSO)
Bina Marine cancel subsea support vessel contract Marco Polo Marine subsidiary Bina Marine and Hallin Marine Subsea International have canceled a SGD 74.5 million (US$49.4 million) shipbuilding contract for SOV Coniston, a DP2 subsea operations vessel. The vessel, originally scheduled to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2010, would have been Hallin's third subsea operations vessel. The contract, signed in late 2008, was discontinued on mutual consent as Bina Marine was unable to fulfill certain pre-completion conditions to the contract, including necessary repayment guarantees. Bina Marine and Hallin Marine are reviewing their options in light of current economic uncertainty, and are considering re-negotiating the contract if the conditions can be met. Construction activities for the vessel had not yet begun, so there will be no material financial impact to Marco Polo Marine or its subsidiaries.
Most advanced diving support vessel delivered by STX Europe ** J.v.d.Ster – Marcol Production **
On 17th March 2009, STX Europe delivered an advanced diving support vessel to Doftech DA (owned by DOFCON and Technip) from its Søviknes yard. The vessel that is designed by STX Europe is constructed and certified for worldwide trading, and will serve an 8 year charter contract for Technip UK Ltd. The formal naming ceremony will take place in Søvik on March 28th. The vessel will be named Skandi Arctic. With its 157 meters length and 27 meters breadth it is a giant. The Skandi Arctic is a purpose designed and built diving support vessel suitable for the demanding North Sea market and capable of working throughout the year in virtually all sea and weather conditions. The Skandi Arctic provides services which include saturation dive support for offshore construction and Inspection, Repair and Maintenance (IRM) operations. The vessel is one of the most modern diving support vessels in the world thanks to its Hyperbaric Monitoring and Control System which is used to support the 24-man diving chamber complex. The vessel is designed with special emphasis on good sea-keeping abilities and excellent station-keeping performance. The Skandi Arctic is environmentally friendly with low fuel consumption and features which comply with DNV Clean Design requirements. The STX Europe OSCV 06 L DSV design is among the most effective for a vessel of this kind. The vessel hull has been optimized through an extensive calm water and sea keeping model test program resulting in excellent performance both in calm water and waves. Skandi Arctic has accommodation capacity for 140 persons in 58 single cabins and 41 double cabins. The vessel is designed for comfort and well being for the crew. On board there is a cinema, library, gymnasium as well as several rest- and dayrooms. The OSCV 06 L DSV is designed by STX Norway Offshore Design in Ålesund, the hull is built by STX Europe in Romania, and the STX Europe yard Søviknes has been responsible for the outfitting and completion of the vessel. The integrated automation system, power management, switchboards and so on are supplied by STX Norway Electro. Skandi Arctic - Offshore Subsea Construction and Diving Support Vessel Built by: STX Europe at Søviknes Owner: Doftech DA Yard No: 702 Delivered: March 2009 Design: STX Norway Offshore Design - OSCV 06 L DSV Length: 156.90 m Breadth: 27.00 m Depth molded: 2.00 m Speed: 17.4 knots (Photo: http://www.stxeurope.com/upload/ships/72dpi/Medium_702.jpg)
"UNICORN" (ex "Soliman Reys") departed from Rotterdam to Nigeria After a long and fruitfull life with the last twenty years as diving support vessel offshore Den Helder, the anchor handling tug "Soliman Reys" was sold to Nigeria at the end of 2008 and renamed "UNICORN". After having passed her "special survey" satisfactorily again, this almost historical Dutch vessel departed Saturday 21st March 2009 from Rotterdam for her delivery voyage to Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The delivery voyage is done by the vessel's regular Dutch crew, who will train the new Nigerian crew during the voyage to Nigeria, where the vessel is expected around 10th/11th April 2009, where she will start a new life again as support vessel for the local offshore industry (in ownership and under management of Selly Fak Company Limited). (Source : LANDFALL Transport & Towage bv; Photo Nico Ouwehand)
Møkster confirms order for VS 482 Mk 2 at Gondan Simon Møkster in Norway and the Spanish shipyard Astilleros Gondan have confirmed that they have recently signed a contract for construction of the multi-field support vessel of Vik Sandvik design (VS 482 Mk 2). Stril TBN will be a sister ship to Stril Herkules and will be delivered by Astilleros Gondan in April 2011. The newbuild has long term committment with StatoilHydro - 10 years firm including 5
** J.v.d.Ster – Marcol Production **
yearly options. Strilborg is currently working for StatoilHydro as a frontrunner for Stril TBN. (Source: OSO)
RUE takes bareboat charter on Viking Forcados As of February 20th, Riise Under Water Engineering (RUE) has taken a bareboat charter on Viking Forcados. The firm period is until April 30th 2009 with options for extension. The vessels is operated by RUE, Norwegian Maritime Service (NMS) as maritme crew manager and Oceangoing. The vessel is currently on contract to ExxonMobil in Nigeria performing maintenance and repair. (Source: OSO)
Jumbo Jubilee
On Saturday 21st March the Jumbo Jubilee was spotted at the Damen Galati Shipyard – Romania. The vessel is been fitting out at yard newbuilding quay as seen on the picture below.
(photo: Hans van der Ster)
** J.v.d.Ster – Marcol Production **
