Energy

Germany Tells UN: Nord Stream Inquiry Found Subsea Explosive Traces on Yacht

Germany found traces of subsea explosives in samples taken from a yacht that it suspects "may have been used to transport the explosives" to blow up the Nord Stream gas pipelines, it told the U.N. Security Council in a letter with Sweden and Denmark.A series of unexplained explosions hit the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines connecting Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea last September in the exclusive economic zones of Germany, Sweden, and Denmark. The trio are each conducting…

Video: Intellian’s v45C Antenna Approved for Intelsat FlexMaritime Network

Intellian's newly-launched compact v45C antenna has been qualified for operation on the Intelsat FlexMaritime High Throughput Satellite (HTS) service, delivering global connectivity to customers in the smallest package available to date.Satellite communications services provider Intelsat released the smaller antenna class for its FlexMaritime network on Wednesday, stating the service is geared for leisure, fishing and commercial maritime vessels globally.Previously, service providers…

Oceanco Contract to RH Marine

World-class superyacht builder Oceanco has awarded RH Marine with the contract for the electrical & automation system integration and overall electrical system responsibility of Oceanco’s new 100+ meter yacht. Both parties consider this collaboration to be the start of a productive long-term partnership. RH Marine is responsible for the delivery of the complete electrical & automation system. The system includes the newest version of RH Marine’s next generation of ship automation: Rhodium AMCS and the Energy Management System for optimization of energy consumption.

MarineMax Acquires Hall Marine Group

MarineMax, Inc.,  recreational boat and yacht retailer, has announced that it has completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Hall Marine Group. Hall Marine was founded in the mid 1970’s by Rod and Fran Hall. With fiscal 2016 revenue exceeding $50 million, Hall Marine is one of the largest privately-owned boat dealers in the Southeast. Hall Marine operates through six locations covering the following markets: Charlotte, North Carolina; Lake Wylie, Greenville, Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina; and Savannah, Georgia. The locations include two large marinas and four highway locations.

Mercury Receives Two DAME Design Award Nominations

Two products recently introduced by Mercury Marine – Active Trim and Mercury’s next-generation Joystick Piloting system – have been nominated for DAME Design Awards, amarine industry international design recognition for new equipment and accessories. A total of 67 products have been nominated for DAME Awards, and winners will be announced Nov. 15 at the METS Trade Show in Amsterdam. Nominated products will be on display throughout the METS show, Nov. 15-17, and winners are determined by a team of independently appointed judges.

Taking Ecotourism to the Next Level

Soel Yachts and Naval DC Introduce the SoleCat 12- a solar electric vessel. Ecotourism has been identified to have one of the highest annual growth rates in the industry, according to the World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) study on ecotourism. One of the qualifying criteria on ecotourism, defined by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) for hotels and tour operators, is to reduce transport related greenhouse gas emissions and to use renewable energy sources where possible.

SeaKeeper For Center Consoles

The Contender 35 ST made a splash by becoming Seakeeper's new demo boat and the first vessel to have a Seakeeper 3DC - the first battery-powered Seakeeper. While sea trialing in the ultimate weather conditions - 3 foot significant wave height, winds at 15 knots with gusts up to 30 knots and a NOAA small craft advisory in effect - the Seakeeper 3DC produced a 94% reduction in roll. Deep V hull forms offer a great ride while underway, but can suffer inherent instability at slow speed or rest. The sea trial of the Contender 35 ST demonstrated that by adding a Seakeeper you can remove the principal drawback to deep V hull forms.

Volvo Penta to Power Volvo Ocean Race

Volvo Penta is the official engine supplier for the 2014-2015 Volvo Ocean Race, which is having its North American stopover in Newport, R.I., this week. “The Volvo Ocean Race serves as a crucible for developing and testing new technologies that will benefit the entire marine industry,” said Ron Huibers, president of Volvo Penta of the Americas. Each of the One-Design Volvo Open 65 sailboats is equipped with a single Volvo Penta D2-75 four-cylinder diesel engine with S-drive. The engines are primarily used to produce electricity for the freshwater maker, lights, heating and electronic navigation and communication systems.

Tag Yachts Choose Victron Energy for Yacht Build

Victron Energy has become the supplier for onboard energy in the newbuild TAG 50, from Tag Yachts, according to Peter Bakker of Bakker Yachting Electronics in South Africa, who is an independent yacht systems designer. TAG Yachts has specified 4 x 4.75 KWh Victron Lithium-ion 24V 180Ah battery systems as standard on the TAG 50 XR. Bakker said, "I have been working with Victron equipment for over 25 years and that in itself is something to celebrate. Bakker explained that Quattros are the energy control center in every boat…

The Evolution of Eco-Luxury Yacht Glass

The superyacht industry is fast evolving in response to the global environmental call for decreasing pollution. From ergonomic design to renewable energy, industry experts are working hard to make these sustainable factors the industry standard. Pioneering the use of bespoke photovoltaic glass within the structure of superyachts is Barcelona-based Nautiglass S.L. Nautiglass S.L. specializes in the manufacture and installation of photovoltaic glass, also known as PV glass, where solar cells are embedded between two glass panes to generate clean…

Brazil's Batista Target of Insider Trading Probes

Eike Batista, who was Brazil's richest man for most of the past decade, is under investigation for allegedly engaging in insider trading while he chaired his now-bankrupt oil-producing and shipbuilding firms, securities industry watchdog CVM said on Friday. In a statement sent to Reuters, Rio de Janeiro-based CVM confirmed that Batista is a respondent in six of nine probes that executives of his Grupo EBX conglomerate are facing for breaching securities rules. In two of them, regulators are examining whether Batista allegedly took advantage of his access to privileged information.

Hill Dickinson Announces Promotions

Hill Dickinson’s market-leading marine, trade and energy group announced its latest series of promotions. A total of eight promotions have been made across the group’s yacht, shipping and energy and commodities teams. Pawel Wysocki, Stuart Kempson and Ian MacLean have been promoted to Partner. Susan Leonard and Mary Prentice have taken on the role as Legal Director and Thomas Frei, Fergal Quinn and Edward Hicks have been promoted to Associate.

SeaRobotics Delivers Autonomous Hull Cleaning System

SeaRobotics has delivered the first HullBUG (Hull Bio-inspired Underwater Grooming) System to the Center for Corrosion and Biofouling Control at Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne. This will be tested and further developed at the newly commissioned Large Scale Seawater Facility , which is located at Port Canaveral and funded by the U.S. Navy Office of Naval Research (ONR). The HullBUG system is an autonomous underwater vehicle designed to crawl on ship hulls or other underwater structures and "groom" their surface.

Tracerco Targets Fuel Fraud

New device will help combat multi billion dollar global crime. Tracerco, part of the Johnson Matthey group, has developed what it touts to be the world’s first fully portable, lightweight and rugged system to test for tampering in fuel. Dubbed Nemesis, the company claims it is the only analyser of its kind, and is the latest addition to Tracerco’s range of Product Assurance technologies and is expected to play a significant role in the global fight against fuel adulteration, substitution and smuggling. Fuel adulteration is a global problem in both the developed world and emerging economies…

Maitland Pinpoints Global Shipping's Woes, Solutions

Clay Maitland is a ubiquitous figure in the global shipping circuit, never shy to share his accrued maritime experience of more than 40 years, ask the tough questions or supply the blunt opinion. Set to celebrate his 70th birthday later this year but not slowing a step, Maritime Reporter & Engineering News caught up with Maitland in his Manhattan office late last month. Most anyone who has seen Clay Maitland address a crowd; watched him grill a conference panel; or taken him one-on-one in conversation to discuss some nuance of the industry…