Carnival Mardi Gras floated out at Meyer Turku shipyard

By

-

January 25, 2020

Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras was “floated out” at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland in anticipation of its debut later this year. The 180 000 GT cruise ship will be the largest one in the Carnival fleet after delivery later in 2020.

Following the float out, Mardi Gras was repositioned to a new location at the yard to finalize its interior and exterior outfitting, including the installation of BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea in the coming weeks, part of the Ultimate Playground outdoor recreation area.

The ship’s more than 2,600 staterooms, including 180 suites across 11 different categories, have been installed and workers will begin putting the finishing touches on these unique accommodations.

Ben Clement, Carnival’s senior vice president of newbuilds, says:

“We can’t wait for our guests to experience Mardi Gras, a one-of-a-kind ship that is true game changer and continues the evolution of the Carnival vacation experience.”

A cruise ship is always a result of cooperation by many parties. The ship yard’s own design office works with the ship owner architects to create a custom designed ship for the signature style of the Carnival brand – a totally new architectural design. Next almost 1000 specialized companies are engaged in providing materials and complex services to create the cruise ship at Turku Shipyard.

CEO Jan Meyer reminds that the ships are truly smart floating cities:

“We are building all the facilities a smart modern city would have: hospitals, IT-networks, restaurants and sophisticated environmental technologies, on a ship sailing the seas. It is a very difficult undertaking but also the end result is really spectacular.”

With the float-out Mardi Gras' six themed zones are also beginning to take shape with the interior build out of spaces like Emeril’s Bistro 1396 created by famed chef Emeril Lagasse and a groundbreaking new atrium concept with spectacular three-deck-high floor-to-ceiling windows and moveable LED screens.

Mardi Gras will also be the first cruise ship in North America powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), part of Carnival Corporation’s green cruising platform.

CEO of Meyer Turku Jan Meyer states:

“I believe Mardi Gras will be a truly special ship. She will be the first to use our now proven LNG cruise ship propulsion system in North American markets and feature many other sophisticated technologies – including BOLT, the first roller coaster onboard a ship.”

Mardi Gras will be delivered in late October and Carnival has announced she will enter revenue service on Nov. 14, 2020 from Port Canaveral, Florida.

VIKAND will launch its global maritime work-life program WELL in 2020

By

-

January 24, 2020

0

VIKAND Medical Solutions (VIKAND), the leader in global maritime medical operations and healthcare, has announced their contract renewals with Silversea Cruises and Viking Ocean Cruises, as well as their appointment by Grupo Vidanta to be the outsourced Medical Manager for Vidanta Cruises’ maiden vessel, M/V Vidanta Elegant, in collaboration with CMI (Cruise Management International).

VIKAND, a leader and innovator in maritime medical operations, specializes in turn-key medical solutions for the cruise industry, with services currently provided on 200+ cruise vessels, impacting 20MM passengers and 120K crew annually, ensuring comprehensive medical oversight, support, and efficiencies for its clients. The VIKAND team is comprised of dynamic and knowledgeable maritime medical professionals who continuously source the latest biomedical technology, advanced environmental solutions, and wellness initiatives to provide customized onboard medical services and world-class medical staff.

Vidanta Cruises’, Mexico’s First Luxury Cruise Line, appointed VIKAND to be the outsourced Medical Manager for their inaugural vessel, M/V Vidanta Elegant, scheduled to set sail in 2020. VIKAND will work in close collaboration with CMI to provide outsourced medical management services and run all aspects of the Medical Operations onboard, in addition to the initial set up of the vessel's medical facility prior to launch.

VIKAND was appointed the outsourced Medical Manager by Viking Ocean Cruises during the startup phase of its first vessel in January 2014. VIKAND has enjoyed working with Viking as their outsourced Medical Manager, in collaboration Wilhelmsen Ship Management, and looks forward to supporting their continued growth in years to come. VIKAND and Viking executed a new and updated agreement effective January 1st, 2020.

VIKAND has entered a new era of Medical Consultation with Silversea Cruises effective January 1st, 2020, adding VIKAND’s all-inclusive Total Healthcare Solutions model. VIKAND has established a close working relationship with Silversea Cruises since 2012. Through years of collaboration, VIKAND developed the Total Healthcare Solution, to specifically meet the needs of Silversea.

VIKAND’s Total Healthcare Solutions model for Silversea Cruises is a groundbreaking approach to medical operations within the cruise industry in that it combines all existing VIKAND medical service offerings, with the addition of formulary management, for a flat fee arrangement.

VIKAND is pleased to execute this new formulary and supply management business model. In combination with all its medical consulting services, this will streamline the entire formulary process, logistics, operations, communication, and financial administration, providing significantly enhanced efficiencies and decreased operating costs.

VIKAND’s medical consulting and outsourced management solutions provide 24/7 medical support with medical escorts always on standby with a medical emergency hotline, staffing and recruitment, case management for guests and crew, regulatory compliance, policies and procedures, outbreak prevention support, pharmaceutical and formulary supplies, biomedical equipment management and procurement, new build and refurbishment support, pre-employment medical examination review, crew wellness, and chronic disease oversite.

VIKAND’s proprietary Global Maritime Work-Life program “WELL” will be launched during the first quarter of 2020. This is a customized mental wellness program for the cruise and maritime industry.

As cruise lines are more frequently looking to outsource their medical services onboard, VIKAND’s innovative solutions are meeting a growing demand within the industry.

Peter Hult, CEO of VIKAND, says:

“Operating a remote medical facility at sea presents various challenges that require professional expertise and assistance. We are very proud of our VIKAND team, each of whom has many years of shipboard medical experience and work tirelessly to support our clients as they confidently entrust us with such a critical responsibility. VIKAND’s Medical Outsourced Management program gives our cruise line partners access to the very best resources while reducing their risk exposure, allowing them to focus on guest experience and safe operations of the ships.”

Navis offers RTG optimisation in latest version of N4

By

-

January 24, 2020

0

Latest version of N4 TOS provides industry leading general cargo solution, expanded rail capabilities and breakthrough optimizations for RTG driving lower TCO.

Navis, a part of Cargotec Corporation, and the provider of operational technologies and services for the world’s leading organizations across the shipping supply chain, announced the availability of N4 3.8, the latest cloud-enabled version of its core terminal operating system. With N4 3.8, Navis has the most complete general cargo solution, and is announcing the availability of RTG Optimization to streamline operations for both manual and automated RTG terminals alike. N4 3.8 lays the foundation for cloud deployments, with a richer suite of Navis Smart application packages, including the Vessel Planning, Mobile, and Safety Suites, that leverage the power of data in the TOS.

Younus Aftab, Chief Technology Officer, Navis, said:

“N4 continues to push boundaries to provide new functionality by leveraging the cloud and Navis Smart technologies to unlock TOS data and lower costs for our customers. We have built the smart platform with the goal of helping all N4 customers, whether they are manually operated or operate with some level of automation, to streamline their operations from the container to the gate, yard and rail and also have increased functionality to better serve rail and general cargo transactions for terminals.”

Highlights of N4 3.8 include:

Smart Suite – Improved capability and packaging through ready to deploy cloud applications and rich mobile applications available through flexible packaging options.
General Cargo – Navis has the most complete general cargo capabilities with support of truckers with work orders, appointments, delivery and ad hoc pickups.
Streamlined Rail Operations – Navis has improved the N4 rail module to increase usability and upgrade the rail workflow, reduce unladen truck travel for better performance, and optimize rail crane moves for higher efficiency and productivity.
Navis RTG Optimization – This new module with the focus on data and intelligence can be used by both manned and automated terminals to increase productivity by optimizing side-loading yard cranes through the automated decision making of existing manual processes. It supports existing manual RTG terminals, as well as retrofit manned RTGs towards automation.

Navis 360 Managed Services, launched earlier this year, continues to expand its portfolio to better support customers with the ongoing monitoring and management of N4 3.8, and is available by monthly subscription.

KVH presents its new digital content service for seafarers and commercial fleets

By

-

January 24, 2020

0

KVH Link builds on KVH’s experience in providing crew wellbeing and operations content using its patented IP-MobileCast delivery technology.

KVH Industries has launched KVH Link, a new digital content service that addresses two pressing needs in commercial maritime: News and entertainment content to improve crew wellbeing and operations data to optimize vessel performance.

Building on KVH’s past experience providing content for crew wellbeing and its patented IP-MobileCast™ technology for content delivery, KVH Link provides timely and popular news, sports, movies, TV, music, karaoke, podcasts, documentaries, trending social videos, and more in a sleek new user interface designed with digital natives in mind.

Mark Woodhead, KVH’s executive vice president for mobile connectivity, says:

“There is an increasing focus on seafarer wellbeing as the foundation of safe, efficient operations. At the same time, crew welfare is going digital, with increased onboard demand for access to popular content. With our decades of experience in providing crew content—starting in the 1960s with reel-to-reel movie nights on the deck of a ship—to our history of mobile tech innovation, KVH is uniquely suited to deliver a digital content platform for today’s seafarer.”

KVH Link crew wellbeing content includes: NEWSlink™ hundreds of daily news stories, clips, and shows in the most popular languages among seafarers; SPORTSlink™ news and video sports highlights from teams around the world, sports talk shows, and documentaries; MOVIElink™ early release movies and classics from Hollywood to Bollywood and independent studios; TVlink™ full seasons of popular hit television series; and MUSIClink™ more than 15 genres of music radio, podcasts, karaoke, and more. KVH Link content is licensed from copyright holders for crew viewing.

Accessible for group viewing on a vessel TV screen or on seafarers’ personal devices, KVH Link features intuitive online navigation to enable users to quickly find the audio, text, and video content they want. The service is available as a monthly content subscription package incurring no data delivery charge.

In developing the KVH Link service, KVH built on its experience with the IP-MobileCast content delivery service it introduced in 2014, which features patented technology for delivering cybersecure, encrypted multimedia content to vessels with mini-VSAT Broadband™ connectivity.

KVH also announced KVH linkHUB, a new service that provides entertainment content via secure, encrypted content drives to vessels that do not have KVH mini-VSAT Broadband connectivity, or to mixed fleets with a variety of satellite providers.

Mr. Woodhead says:

“Today, all vessels in a fleet need news and entertainment content even when several different satellite connectivity vendors are involved. With KVH Link and linkHUB, we can deliver terrific content to every vessel in the fleet.”

KVH Link also encompasses operations data services delivered by IP-MobileCast to address commercial fleets’ need to optimize vessel performance. The KVH Link operations solutions include CHARTlink™ fast, secure delivery of ECDIS-compliant chartsets; FORECASTlink™ high-resolution, global-scale weather forecasts delivered four times per day; and YOURlink™ delivery of customer-generated content to promote crew safety and corporate values.

CCC’s underwater robot is inspecting pipelines in the Arabian Gulf

By

-

January 24, 2020

0

CCC Underwater Engineering is inspecting the final 102 pipelines using their Saab Seaeye Leopard underwater robot, which CCC says is the best vehicle for the task.

Their objective is to achieve the most precise repeatable survey data possible, to a baseline accuracy below 0.5 metres.

This kind of accuracy, whilst working in extremely shallow water along different sized pipelines for extended periods, requires a large array of high definition filming and sensing equipment.

Abu Dhabi-based CCC Manager, Tavis Letherby, says that position repeatability accuracy is essential to secure a solid baseline for future surveys.

The necessary array aboard the Leopard includes three HD cameras with movie quality 1080i interlacing, two Kongsberg M3 profiling sonars, Sonardyne Mini-Ranger and SPRINT-Nav 500 Hybrid INS, Valeport bathy suite including altimeter, Valeport mini sound velocity profiler, MCS’s photo-realistic 3D cloud system, laser line generator, CP and UT probes.

Tavis Letherby said:

“For accurate data acquisition, only a Leopard has the manoeuvrability, control and payload to stay steady and on course without problems in shallow water when faced with strong cross currents and wave motion — sometimes working in less than six metres of depth.”

He points to the vehicle’s specification of 11 thrusters, 500kgf of forward thrust, 200kg payload and iCON intelligent control architecture, as making it suitable for very shallow water working whilst fully loaded with equipment.

When long excursions are necessary the operating vessel must stay around 70 metres clear of platforms for safety reasons. On those occasions the Leopard needs to navigate for up to 100 metres to fulfil the pipeline inspection, which is a particular challenge in shallow water.

For Tavis Letherby the Leopard has advanced underwater robotics further into the digital world and offers operators a work vehicle costing half that of an equivalent hydraulic system.

Wärtsilä to supply its equipment for Bore’s first LNG fuelled short-sea Ro-Lo vessels

By

-

January 24, 2020

0

The technology group Wärtsilä will supply all the main equipment for the first LNG fuelled short-sea Ro-Lo (roll-on, lift-off) vessels to be operated by Finland based Bore Ltd. Three ships have been ordered and are being built at the WuHu Shipyard in China. The order with Wärtsilä was placed in December.

Wärtsilä has worked in close collaboration with both the owner and the naval architect to develop a vessel optimised integrated LNG system. As a result it has been possible to locate a 250 cbm Wärtsilä LNGPac storage and supply system below deck without compromising the cargo capacity.

The ships will be propelled by a Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel engine driving a Wärtsilä controlled pitch propeller (CPP) at variable speed, connected to a Wärtsilä SCV95 gearbox with an integrated power pack. In addition, the vessels will each be equipped with Wärtsilä ProTouch controls and Eco Control to enable accurately synchronised engine speed and propeller pitch. This delivers outstanding engine and propulsion efficiency, while the Eco Control operating mode can be selected for automated fuel savings while in transit. These integrated technologies will be supported via Wärtsilä’s Data Collection Unit (WDCU) with cloud based services and remote monitoring to optimise operability, fuel economy, and periodic maintenance.

Luuk Hijlkema, Account Manager, Sales, Wärtsilä Marine, says:

“Our remote smart services provide state-of-the-art support for the ships’ integrated solution, which is another value-adding feature that we are providing for these vessels. Furthermore, the propulsion efficiency will be optimised using Wärtsilä’s computational fluid dynamics (CFD) Opti Design to tailor the size of the aft appendages specifically to the hull design. This efficiency saves fuel and, therefore, also operating costs.”

Jörgen Mansnerus, VP, Marine Management at Bore Ltd., says:

“We appreciate Wärtsilä’s support and deep technological know-how, which have played a key role in developing these world-class vessels. We are proud to add these environmentally sustainable and fuel efficient ships to our fleet.”

The 120 metre long ships will be chartered to Finnish forestry company UPM, and will operate in the Baltic and North Seas. They will have Finnish/Swedish Ice Class 1A classification. The first vessel is scheduled for delivery Mid 2021.

Bore Ltd is an affiliate of the Dutch Spliethoff Group.

BC Ferries’ new hybrid electric ships move to Victoria

By

-

January 24, 2020

0

The ferries arrived at the Breakwater District at Ogden Point on a semi-submersible transport ship on January 18 and spent several days there while preparations were made to unload and deliver them to Point Hope Maritime.

Today the vessels will be unloaded from the transport ship, Sun Rise. It will partially submerge and the two Island Class ships will be floated off and maneuvered by tugs to Point Hope Maritime. BC Ferries suggests Esquimalt Lagoon as a viewing point for customers interested in watching the unloading process, which the company expects to take several hours. BC Ferries also advises the public the Johnson Street Bridge will be raised to accommodate the ships’ move to Point Hope Maritime, and the public can view that process from the pedestrian platform by the bridge.

Point Hope Maritime is re-commissioning the ships, as is required following the transport. This work includes starting up all of the systems and final inspections. After this is complete, BC Ferries will take ownership of the two ships. They will then be christened before the company moves on to crew training, ship familiarization and dock fits.

Island Class are battery equipped ships designed for future full electric operation. The ships are fitted with hybrid technology that bridges the gap until shore charging infrastructure and funding becomes available in B.C. From the exterior details to the engines, the design of the new vessels reduces underwater radiated noise, lowers emissions and improves customer service.

OCEAN FARM 1 receives first ever offshore fish farming class certificate from DNV GL

By

-

January 24, 2020

0

Developing and expanding sustainable aquaculture will be essential as the demand for fish grows around the world.

Owned and operated by SalMar, Ocean Farm 1, is the first salmon farm designed and built for exposed operation, with a novel design that combines solutions from aquaculture and the offshore industry. The certification of Ocean Farm 1 to a new DNV GL standard for offshore fish farming installations, represents a vital first step towards the utilization of new ocean spaces for aquaculture.

The unit was delivered in June 2017 from Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group in Qingdao, China, and transported to Norway for installation. DNV GL provided 3rd party verification and certification covering the design, construction, transport and installation, enabling Ocean Farm 1 to meet the Norwegian NYTEK regulations and to operate safely for salmon farming.

The unit was also awarded the new OI Offshore fish farming installation POSMOOR class notation, which confirms that Ocean Farm 1 was built in accordance with DNVGL-RU-0503 Offshore fish farming units and installations. Ocean Farm 1 is in part a pilot project to test the concept of offshore fish farms in exposed locations.

Olav Andreas Ervik, CEO of SalMar Ocean, said:

“The expansion of fish farms into exposed locations is based on a combination of two well-known concepts – offshore technology and fish farming. Applying offshore and maritime competence in a new context offers new possibilities in open ocean aquaculture. In ground breaking projects such as Ocean Farm 1, it is essential that we have top of the line risk reduction and quality assurance in place, and throughout every phase of this project, DNV GL’s contributions have been essential to ensure its success and operational excellence.”

Geir Fuglerud, DNV GL’s Director of Offshore Classification, says:

“This has been a very exciting project, that has enabled us to demonstrate the broad range of technical competencies DNV GL can bring to innovative projects. Ocean Farm 1 is the first of several aquaculture projects planned for more exposed ocean installation in Norway, and with the experience we and the industry gain from this installation we hope that this marks the beginning of a new era for sustainable aquaculture.”

Key dimensions of Ocean Farm 1:

Height: 69 m
Diameter: 110 m
Volume: 250,000 m3

Teekay Offshore selects Marlink for managed IT services

By

-

January 23, 2020

0

Leading marine energy, transportation, storage and production company selects ITLink solutions for more compliance and resilience.

Teekay Offshore has selected Marlink’s ITLink solutions portfolio with its benchmark IT operational platform, KeepUp@Sea, to streamline and improve fleet IT management. The deployment of ITLink positions Marlink as a single supplier of diverse Information Communication Technology (ICT) services for Teekay Offshore vessels, following a satellite services contract renewal in May 2019.

Marlink will provision ITLink solutions across Teekay Offshore’s fleet of shuttle tankers, ALP towing vessels and floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) units to ensure more availability of operational tools, resulting in more efficient and sustainable fleet operations.

Representing a major endorsement of Marlink’s ability to facilitate end-to-end digitalisation strategies for maritime businesses, this latest contract with Teekay Offshore also highlights the operational and financial advantages of using a single supplier to integrate failsafe global connectivity with a secure, managed IT infrastructure.

Under the conditions of the new deal, Marlink’s ITLink solutions with KeepUp@Sea will manage and optimise Teekay Offshore’s fleet IT infrastructure and software. The implementation of standardisation, automation and remote network management generates substantial savings in time and resources while reducing the possibility of human error and the requirement for technicians to travel to a ship to fix IT issues. This helps to reduce Teekay Offshore’s environmental footprint, while maintaining the compliance and resilience of vessel IT networks with automated software updates and remote access for troubleshooting.

Marlink’s seamless VSAT connectivity is crucial to the successful running of Teekay Offshore’s operational processes, expediting everything from document/data transfer, remote diagnostics, voice communications and videoconferencing to planned maintenance system updates and morale-boosting social media browsing for crew welfare. ITLink solutions are also key to a cyber-secure and well-ordered IT network, future-proofing the firm in readiness for fleet expansion, with the building of six new E-shuttle tankers, and the advent of new regulations including IMO 2021 Cyber Security guidelines.

Regis Rougier, Vice President Operations, Teekay, said:

"As our operations become ever more sophisticated, encompassing the shore-based remote monitoring of onboard systems, it’s obviously vital for us to know that the digital foundation between vessels and from shore to ship can be relied upon without question. We’re delighted to have Marlink as an attentive and convenient single interface between our all-important IT and communications structures."

Tore Morten Olsen, President Maritime, Marlink, said:

"We’re very pleased to be strengthening our close relationship with Teekay Offshore and keeping the company at the cutting-edge of maritime digitalisation. The integration of our connectivity services with the ITLink portfolio and KeepUp@Sea will simplify and enhance Teekay Offshore’s IT infrastructure, with all the material, logistical and support benefits they can expect from collaborating with a trusted single source. We are confident that remote digital intervention will have a tangible impact on Teekay Offshore’s ability to optimise and deliver more sustainable, profitable and environmentally friendly operations."

Intellian’s NX-series systems receive IntelsatOne Flex certification

By

-

January 23, 2020

0

Intellian, the global leader in mobile satellite communication antenna systems, has announced the successful certification by Intelsat of the Intellian NX series products, with both the v85NX and v100NX endorsed for use with the IntelsatOne Flex service.

IntelsatOne Flex is a customizable service with a guaranteed Service Level Agreement (SLA), offering tiered, flexible plans which prioritize bandwidth across different satellite beams to meet demand. This avoids any requirement for customers to buy dedicated bandwidth scaled for peak usage or specific regions, thus keeping costs down. Flex easily adapts to serve new geographic or fleet additions, while still providing a predictable cost structure that is directly matched to revenue-generating activities.

Flex is facilitated through a simplified, unified global network environment formed by aggregating Intelsat’s new EpicNG high-throughput satellites (HTS), existing Ku-band fleet and IntelsatOne terrestrial fiber networks, managed through an HTS-optimized iDirect Velocity® platform to provide seamless connectivity to the customer.

A next-generation service such as IntelsatOne Flex requires next-generation equipment. Intellian’s v85NX and v100NX antennas offer high performance on all satellite networks through their future-proof design. To reduce installation time and costs for Maritime customers, all NX series products are lighter and feature a single cable design. In addition, the new AptusNX software includes a commissioning wizard for simplicity and provides remote maintenance capabilities.

The focus on streamlining and automating parts of the installation, delivers cost efficiencies and improves system performance. The NX platform’s modular design contains fewer components, removing the need for Spares by up to 40%, delivering savings to our customers and increasing reliability.

Eric Sung, CEO of Intellian, commented:

“Intellian’s NX antennas have been designed to support next-generation satellite services and are the perfect choice for the IntelsatOne Flex service. Intelsat’s innovative approach to service provision reflects our focus on ease of installation and adaptability to different bands and orbits, which we believe is essential to facilitate the global industry.”