MPA Singapore issues guidelines for crew change

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June 5, 2020

Following a significant number of enquiries related to the recent relaxation of restrictions on crew change, the Maritime and Ports Authority (MPA) in Singapore has issued a guideline and FAQ with the aim to facilitate crew change.

In order to increase the chances for a successful request for crew change it is highly recommended to study the guidelines and FAQ prior to forwarding the request. Port Marine Circular 26 lists the following circumstances under which crew change can be facilitated:

The crew has served the maximum time on board, and no further extension of the employment contract is granted by the flag state. Carefully study the details on extension to the SEA
Compassionate grounds (e.g. death of a family member)
The crew is no longer medically fit to work on board the ship. Carefully study the details on extension to the medical fitness certificates

The following circumstances would also be considered in the crew change request:

The employment contract of the crew has expired
Off signing crew would not affect the safe manning of the ship
Crew change is due to sale/purchase of ship
The off signers are supernumeraries

If the off signing crew meets the above listed requirements, application to the MPA for crew change must be forwarded at least 14 days in advance of the planned crew change. However, crew change is only permitted if the following requirements are met:

On- and off singers must be in 14 days quarantine before disembarkation or departure from home country
The off signer must have a fit-to-travel document issued by a Singaporean doctor
The on signer must have a fit-to travel medical certificate issued by a doctor his or her home country and have taken a Covid-19 test with negative result not more than 48 hours prior to departure from home country
Details on travel arrangements must be in place before disembarkation – both on- and off signer must travel directly between the airport and ship.

Kindly notice the ship will not be allowed to depart before the off signing crew is on board the plane.

Source: BIMCO

MSC extends shorter-term halt of cruise operations to 31 July 2020

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June 5, 2020

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As the world continues to face the challenges of the pandemic and with significant travel restrictions still in place in many regions, MSC Cruises has announced that it will further extend the temporary fleet-wide halt of its cruise operation through to 31 July 2020.

Guests affected by the cancelled cruises will receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) where they have the opportunity to transfer the full amount paid for their cancelled cruise to a future cruise of their choice – on any ship, for any itinerary — through to the end of 2021. Guests will be able to redeem their FCC voucher starting from June 21 and reschedule their cruise to a time that suits them.

In addition, for all guests who are currently booked on cruises between 1 August and 31 October 2020 their bookings will now be covered under an extension of the Company’s Flexible Cruise Programme now allowing guests to reschedule their cruise to a future departure date through to 31 December 2021 up to 48-hours prior to the original cruise departure or, for Fly&Cruise packages, up to 96-hours prior to the flight departure.

Swiss-based cruise line has reconfirmed its full Summer Programme for 2021 , starting in March 2021, which will include two new ships currently under construction and a series of new or enriched itineraries and homeports.

Gianni Onorato, CEO, MSC Cruises, said:

“While today we have taken the difficult decision to further extend the halt of operations of all our ships, it is important that we also look ahead as we know that our customers are dreaming of travel and are wanting to plan their holidays for next year. For this reason, we have now also confirmed our full summer programme for 2021.

Shorter-term, our ships will return to service only when the time is right, in phases and by region, and following guidance from the relevant national and international health and other regulatory authorities and the support of a new operating protocol especially focused on health and safety, which we will announce soon. This way, gradually, all of our ships will return to sea between then and the beginning of our summer 2021 season.”

PETRONAS enters Myanmar’s gas market with first LNG cargo delivery

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June 5, 2020

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PETRONAS through its subsidiary, PETRONAS LNG Ltd. (PLL), recently completed its maiden delivery of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Yangon, Myanmar, with two LNG cargoes delivered in May and June 2020. The delivery of the two LNG cargoes is part of a Master Sale and Purchase Agreement between PLL and CNTIC VPower that was signed in early 2020.

As part of the agreement, the LNG cargoes were sold on Free-On-Board (FOB) basis, amounting to a total LNG volume of 190,000 cubic metres. Both LNG cargoes were loaded at PETRONAS LNG Complex in Bintulu, Sarawak, and were delivered on 7 May 2020, onboard the CNTIC VPower Global, and on 3 June 2020, onboard the Golar Kelvin.

Commenting on PETRONAS’ successful entry into the Myanmar gas market, PLL’s Chief Executive Officer, Abdul Aziz Othman said:

“The two LNG cargoes that were successfully delivered to CNTIC VPower marks a new era in the growth of LNG demand in the South East Asian region. With Myanmar as the latest nation to adopt LNG as a form of cleaner energy, PETRONAS looks forward to being a long-term partner and supplier, leveraging on our world-class reliability, as well as innovative and customer-centric solutions.”

Through PETRONAS’ integrated value chain solutions, PETRONAS facilitated the delivery of the cargoes by granting conditional acceptance to CNTIC VPower Global vessel in allowing for the very first multilobe tank comprising two cylindrical tank sections, or better known as Bilobe type LNG vessel, to dock at the Bintulu terminal where cooling-down services were also provided. This was achieved by PETRONAS’ focus on customer-centricity, which enables the Company to adapt to unique requirements and fulfil customers’ cleaner energy demands.

In addition to the first two LNG cargoes, PETRONAS is also working with CNTIC VPower for further deliveries that will strengthen the relationship between both companies, which will facilitate the growth of their foothold in Myanmar’s fast-growing gas industry.

Nautilus Labs and OCEANKING announce strategic partnership

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June 5, 2020

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Nautilus Labs, the technology firm advancing the efficiency of ocean commerce through artificial intelligence, and OCEANKING, the leading marine engineering and commercial group serving the Greek and International maritime community — have announced their partnership to jointly expand access to Nautilus Platform in the Greek and Cypriot market to support ship owners and operators as they elevate their focus on operational excellence.

Nautilus serves the global maritime industry by building decision support software that surfaces smart alerts and actionable insights that maximize voyage profitability and vessel yield.

Leigh Jaffe, Director of Corporate Development at Nautilus, said:

“Given our deep commitment to helping owners and operators build sustainable businesses in a highly competitive market, our partnership with Oceanking is key to ensuring Nautilus seamlessly grows its presence and delivers continuous client support in Greece.”

OCEANKING, based in Greece, provides integrated, technical services and solutions and is working closely with leading well-known suppliers of marine equipment. The company will represent Nautilus in the Greek market and connect ship owners/operators and the technology firm.

Carola Yannouli, General Manager at OCEANKING, noted:

“Especially during these times, the shipping industry needs new technology partners to outcompete in the market. We’re excited to work with Nautilus and arm our clients with a decision support tool to take optimal actions when they matter most. We’re looking forward to a strong partnership and to helping shipping companies become more profitable and sustainable in the digitalization era.”

Wärtsilä to supply Europe’s most modern simulator for inland shipping training

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June 4, 2020

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The simulator will consist of seven full mission bridges in two locations within Duisburg; six at the Schiffer-Berufskolleg Rhein vocational college, and one at the DST Development Centre for Ship Technology and Transport Systems.

This will form the most modern inland simulator training facility in Europe. The order with Wärtsilä was placed in the first quarter of 2020.

Wärtsilä technology will enable inter-connectivity with other simulators, a universal hardware interface for future developments, and can be used for R&D purposes. It will also be utilised for advanced modelling purposes with other Wärtsilä tools, and for planning and analysation tasks.

Hendrik Posenauer, Senior Sales Manager, Wärtsilä Voyage, says:

“The more realistic the training, the more capable will be the crew, which is why state-of-the-art simulation is so important. Inland waterway navigation presents a number of challenging situations, and with this simulator training these challenges can be realistically studied and prepared for.”

Thomas Krützberg, Head of Family, Education and Culture, Work and Social Affairs, City of Duisburg, says:

“This new SANDRA – Simulator for Advanced Navigation Duisburg Research and Application – comes at the right time and will fulfil the requirements for giving future seafarers the skills they need.”

All seven bridges will comply with the latest CESNI (Comité Européen pour l’Élaboration de Standards dans le Domaine de Navigation Intérieure) requirements relating to standards in the field of inland waterway navigation.

Installation and handover of the Wärtsilä equipment will take place later this year.

Wärtsilä Voyage radically transforms how vessels perform their voyage by leveraging the latest digital technologies, to deliver a step-change in safety, efficiency, reliability, and emissions.

ABB gets contract from Vigor to equip Washington State Ferries

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June 4, 2020

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ABB has been selected by American shipbuilding company Vigor Fab LLC as the hybrid-electric propulsion and energy storage system provider for the newest additions to the Washington State Ferry fleet, setting the largest U.S. ferry system on course for zero-emission operations

The new ‘Olympic Class’ ferries, which will have the capacity to carry 144 cars and 1,500 passengers each, herald a new era for the Washington State transport operator in the shift toward technologies that enable significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and fuel use.

Upon delivery in 2024, the initial vessel of the series will be the first newbuild in Washington State Ferry’s fleet to feature hybrid-electric propulsion and a high capacity energy storage system. The new vessels will be able to fully operate on battery power and will have the capability to revert to hybrid mode, if required.

Jay Hebert, Vice President – Marine Fabrication, Vigor, said:

“This landmark project supports Washington State’s goal for 2050 to reduce emissions by 57.5 percent below the emissions level in 2019, utilizing a hybrid and electric propulsion solution that is space-efficient, easy to install and flexible in operation. Vigor is delighted to partner with ABB in this remarkable work prompted by the commitment of Washington Governor Jay Inslee, the state legislature and Washington State Ferries to replace aging ferries with clean technology in alignment with the state’s commitment to environmental stewardship.”

Leveraging ABB’s Onboard DC Grid™ power distribution system and proven drive technology, the new ferry design will optimize energy use, whether drawing on main engine power, battery power or a combination of the two. The battery power can also extend zero-emissions capability along the supply chain by using renewables and hydroelectric power.

Juha Koskela, Managing Director, ABB Marine & Ports, said:

“Moving towards a zero-emission future relies on technologies that meet the environmental and cost needs of today – and offer flexibility to integrate future energy sources in the years ahead. ABB is delighted to support this milestone project demonstrating the way that electric, digital and connected solutions can deliver shipping’s zero-emission future.”

Washington State Ferries is the largest ferry system in the U.S. By 2040, the Washington Ferry System plan is to replace 13 existing diesel ferries with hybrid-electric newbuilds and to convert six other ferries to plug-in hybrid, with recharging capacity installed at many ferry terminals. All hybrid vessels will be capable of charging at the terminal, and some of the vessels will be capable of operating in fully electric mode on shorter routes. With the addition of newer-built, clean energy ferries to the fleet, fuel consumption is projected at 9.5 million gallons in 2040, compared to 19 million gallons in 2018, with CO2 emissions expected to fall below 2050 reduction targets by 2034.

Figures from trade association Interferry indicate that ferries transport 2.1 billion passengers and 250 million vehicles worldwide every year. As numbers increase, the sector is under pressure to meet International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) targets to reduce annual emissions by 30 percent by 2025.

Ørsted and DEME Offshore complete installation of Borssele 1&2 foundations

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June 4, 2020

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Wind farm developer Ørsted and DEME Offshore have successfully completed the installation of the 94 Borssele 1&2 foundations. The installation started in January this year. Despite COVID-19, the installation was completed on time.

The foundations were installed by DEME’s installation vessel ‘Innovation’. The Sif site in Rotterdam has been used as load out location for the foundations. The 94 monopiles were fabricated by Sif and EEW SPC. The 94 transition pieces came from Bladt and EEW OSB.

Jan Wind, Project Manager foundations for Borssele 1&2:

“The process of designing, manufacturing and installing the foundations went very well and the milestone has been achieved in cooperation with experienced suppliers. We did this as one team, within Ørsted and with our suppliers. I thank everyone who contributed to this safe and smooth process.”

Jan-Mark Van Mastwijk, Business Unit Director Renewables at DEME Offshore said:

“It is a pleasure to work for Ørsted, which is a company driven by the same passion for technical optimisation and pioneering technology. Despite the challenges related to COVID-19, we achieved an excellent performance with our installation vessel ‘Innovation’, installing all 94 foundations in just five months. We also worked closely together to keep improving the safety processes and performance, learning from each other’s strengths and maintaining an open dialogue. We will continue to work on the turbine installation in the same spirit.”

Klaasjaap Buijs, Construction Manager for Borssele 1&2:

“Even with our strict COVID-19 measures we are well on track with the construction of the wind farm. In the last few weeks we even had three jack-up vessels, two cable installation and burial vessels, two SOVs, one supply vessel and 11 CTVs on site. I’ve never seen such a busy site. We have already installed 74 of the 94 cables and 20 of the 94 turbines. The wind farm will be completed by the end of this year and will then supply green energy for one million households.”

DNV GL and ABB launch new MOU to advance marine digitalization

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June 4, 2020

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DNV GL, the world’s leading classification society, and technology leader ABB have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to accelerate digitalization in the maritime industry. The agreement was signed remotely by DNV GL – Maritime CEO Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen and ABB Marine & Ports Managing Director Juha Koskela in an online ceremony.

The MOU will see ABB and DNV GL work together on a “Digitalization Roadmap”, to examine how the maritime industry can benefit from the greater availability of data, interconnectivity of systems, data analysis, and new technologies such as AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning.

Even though DNV GL and ABB together have over two centuries of experience in the maritime sector, they have both been among the quickest to look to the power of new digital technologies to help shipowners and operators around the world optimize vessel performance, enhance quality, and deliver more secure and sustainable operations.

Photo: ABB

Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV GL – Maritime, said:

“The COVID-19 crisis has made us find a new way to carry out this signing, and even if we couldn’t meet in person, it is nevertheless a great pleasure to be working together – with ABB. And the crisis has the potential to trigger a lot of innovation and new ideas throughout the maritime world – leading to a renaissance for the whole industry. At DNV GL, digitalization has driven many of the new services and processes we have been working on to help our customers and improve our service delivery. Working together with ABB on this trend can help us explore its potential across the whole industry.”

Juha Koskela, Managing Director, ABB Marine & Ports, said:

“Today, electric, digital and connected technologies are driving innovation in the marine industry at an unprecedented pace. Collaborating with DNV GL on the next steps in shipping’s digital journey, we look forward to opening up new opportunities for customers and empowering them to achieve increased gains in safety, efficiency and sustainability through digitalization.”

A planned series of workshops will launch the development of the Roadmap and see ABB and DNV GL cooperate to unlock the benefits of new digital technologies and data analytics, as well as goals and standards, that can help to develop and enhance new and existing products and services.

Inmarsat extends seafarer well-being commitments

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June 4, 2020

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Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, continues to ramp up its response to COVID-19, with additional initiatives to improve seafarer wellbeing. These initiatives include further collaboration with ISWAN (International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network) and maritime charities, the launch of a new chatcard and the wider roll-out of a COVID-19 video telemedicine call service.

As the pandemic has unfolded, the leading maritime satellite service provider has worked closely with welfare organisation ISWAN and the major maritime charities to ensure that seafarers stay connected without the burden of additional financial anxiety. Inmarsat is now offering crew access to ISWAN’s SeafarerHelp portal and live chat function via the company’s new onboard WiFi portal, Fleet Hotspot, as well as continuing to offer free voice phone calls to the service. It also continues to provide satellite phones to Port Chaplains in ports where a number of seafarers are stranded and have no access to the internet.

SeafarerHelp is ISWAN’s free, confidential, multilingual helpline, which offers support and assistance to seafarers and their families around the world. The helpline service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and seafarers can get in touch via a range of contact methods including Live Chat, e-mail and telephone.

Roger Harris, ISWAN’s Executive Director, said:

“We are delighted to be working with Inmarsat to bring our helpline service to even more seafarers during this crisis. As you can imagine SeafarerHelp has been extremely busy over the last three months as crew face the impact of being stranded onboard and the loss of employment. Offering free access to SeafarerHelp on Fleet Hotspot will make it easier for crew on board these vessels to access support and assistance wherever they are in the world, day or night.”

As announced at the beginning of April, Inmarsat is also working with crew healthcare specialist Vikand and software platform provider FrontM to provide a free COVID-19 video call service with a trained health professional. The service is now live and available on over 150 vessels with a further 1,000-plus vessels in the pipeline.

The new service ensures that users of Inmarsat’s high-speed Fleet Xpress service have 24/7 access to video call VIKAND’s expert staff for information to help navigate COVID-19 related, medical questions. By facilitating access to timely information for a vessel, client uncertainty is reduced, their decisions are more informed, and actions can be taken faster by clients to help mitigate and resolve risks.

Inmarsat continues to provide a voice call discount offer to its retail customers using FleetBroadband ChatCard voice services and to wholesale partners offering FleetBroadband voice calls under the legacy Crew Calling ‘SQT’ brand. In addition, it recently launched its ChatCard services for Fleet Xpress with an introductory discount that will be available until the end of July.

Ronald Spithout, President, Inmarsat Maritime, said:

“Inmarsat recognises the unprecedented situation facing seafarers and their need for certainty in communication, as the global maritime industry responds to the challenges of COVID-19. These new initiatives, together with those we have already launched, alleviate one of the core concerns crews face as they go about the business of keeping world trade moving day-in, day-out.”

Incat Crowther launches highly capable landing craft

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June 4, 2020

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The monohull landing craft will be one of two support craft on the polar research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough. Built by Exeter Fabrication, she packs a lot of functionality into a compact platform.

Terror will play a critical role in the operations of RRS Sir David Attenborough which, in addition to its scientific role, will support the resupply of the five Antarctic research stations operated by British Antarctic Survey. Terror will transfer food, vehicles, fuel and science equipment to any location where the water is too shallow for the new polar ship to approach.

The working deck accommodates one 20ft container or two 10ft containers with twist-lock fittings and additional lashing points. A folding bow ramp and removable vehicle ramps combine with the shallow forefoot for bow loading, with the vessel being designed to load and accommodate a telehandler. The Heila HLM10-2S deck crane is capable of lifting loads of 2 tonne to the cargo deck. A kedge anchor and deck winch further enhance the functionality of the vessel.

The challenge that faced Incat Crowther was fitting all of this capability and performance into a package that fitted the mother ship’s available deck space and launching capacity. Meeting the challenge, Terror features high capability for her compact size, weighing in at under 22 tonnes.

An elevated wheelhouse affords excellent visibility and accommodates 3 crew in addition to the captain. The vessel can an additional 12 personnel.

The vessel is powered by twin Doosan L086TIH main engines driving fixed-pitch propellers and robust skegs for protection. The vessel has a service speed of 9 knots.

Incat Crowther is proud to be involved in this project, using the firm’s expertise and experience to meet the challenges of such a capable research and logistic vessel.