Vessels & Shipyards

There’s more to offshore support than meets the eye, writes Stevie Knight. Especially in countries that, along with a large gas and oil output, have a booming piracy sector.

Singapore’s Sembcorp Marine (SCM) has entered into an engineering and construction contract worth US$1 billion with Heerema Offshore Services (HOS) to build the ‘world’s largest’ DP3 semi-submersible crane vessel (NSCV).

Germany’s HEAVYLIFT@SEA and SeaRenergy have unveiled a new Offshore Assistance Vessel (OAV), a further development of Service Operation Vessels (SOV), for the growing offshore industry.

DFDS Seaways is to install scrubbers and fuel-saving upgrades on the ro-ro freight vessel ‘Finlandia Seaways’ as part of a €6 million investment in its Rosyth-Zeebrugge route.

Construction has begun on the first Princess Cruises vessel designed specifically for the Chinese cruise market, with the keel laying taking place at Fincanteri’s Monfalcone Shipyard last week.

The director of Fincanteri’s Monfalcone yard faces investigations over environmental violations as authorities release parts of the yard seized under an ongoing probe into unauthorised waste management.

Investment in icebreaking research ships is gathering pace, prompted by the need to provide higher-performance replacements for long-serving vessels, and also by mounting strategic interest in a polar presence. David Tinsley reports.

Dubai-based Drydocks World has completed construction of an 11,000-tonne turret mooring system, designed to allow safe operation in extreme conditions for Shell’s floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) vessel ‘Prelude’.

The 38,762dwt geared handysize carrier ‘True Love’ has provided the Green Dolphin concept with its seagoing debut - leading a robust and exceptionally economical new generation of versatile ‘workhorses’ for multifarious bulk…